


In Transit

by Seventyfiveapples



Category: Bright (2017)
Genre: Elves, Elves are Dicks, Eventual Smut, F/M, Flashbacks, Jealousy, Justice system, Magic, Magical Murder, Mutual Oral Sex, Non-Graphic Violence, Oral Sex, Orcs, Romance, Slow Burn, Started as a reader insert and changed to an OC, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2019-04-19 10:30:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 26,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14235339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seventyfiveapples/pseuds/Seventyfiveapples
Summary: When Officers Jakoby and Ward are hand-picked by the Magic Task Force to transport a dangerous convicted murderer, they must navigate unfamiliar terrain as evil forces - and mistakes from the past - complicate their path.





	1. Chapter 1

You were actually relieved when the judge read your death sentence from the bench. Even a death sentence was somehow better than living in this uncertainty any longer.

Your lawyer had advised you to expect this, so it wasn't really a surprise. Now, at least you knew and your lawyer could start preparing your appeal.

You struggled to keep your face impassive, looking slightly downward, as the courtroom erupted in raucous celebration. This, too, was not a surprise. As the bailiff led you away, cuffed at your ankles and wrists, your eyes darted around the room, resting on the few in the crowd who did not react: There were your "friends", a group of three elves, sitting towards the front with forced sad expressions. There were a couple of angry activists, strangers to you, who wore Shield of Light shirts reading “Magic is Not a Crime.” At the back of the courtroom sat two unfamiliar men in suits: a tall, stocky human with unkempt red curls and a well-dressed elf with striking pale blue hair that fell in a smooth sheet to his shoulders.

The blue-haired elf was watching you intently, but his face showed no emotion. Even so, his gaze felt reassuring. You made eye contact and tried to not to think about where you were headed as you, the bailiff, and a complement of four armed guards made your way into the hallway, where throngs of press were waiting to try for a soundbite.

* * *

The next day, officers Nick Jakoby and Daryl Ward took their seats in the precinct briefing room as they waited for the new chief of police to arrive and give out the day’s assignments.

“What do you think it’s gonna be today, Jakoby? Parking lot duty? Tracking some Girl Scout cookie thieves? Maybe get another cat out of a tree?”

Ward was frustrated. Things had been a little slow for the two lately. The new chief had said something about the two keeping a lower profile for a while after the incident with the wand. Ward understood, to a point, but this was getting ridiculous. The cat rescue had been yesterday's high point. Ward said even neighborhood patrol made the days go faster.

Nick smirked a little at the thought of chasing down cookie thieves, but if was honest, he wasn't bored at all by the quieter assignments. He wanted to be seen as a helpful presence by the community, and assignments like these allowed him to meet and talk to more humans. Eventually, he hoped these interactions would help him build trust. For now, most of the humans he met were still pretty fearful of him. At least at first. 

That said, the cat rescue was awful. He'd nearly gotten stuck in the tree himself after he accidentally kicked over his ladder. Thankfully, Ward was too annoyed by their postings lately to tease him too much about it. 

He leaned over to make a commiserating comment to his partner, but something - actually, someone - in the hallway caught his eye.

“Hey Ward- Do you remember those federal agents from the Magic Task Force? The ones who questioned us after... everything with the... you know?" He lowered his voice to a whisper. "The wand?”

"SHH, Nick, damn!" Ward chided him, looking around to see if anyone heard. They hadn't. "Do NOT bring that shit up, okay? Don’t even say that word."

"Fine. The agents who questioned us after everything with the-" he scanned the room for an appropriate code word. 

"Yeah, I know what you're talking about, Nick. I remember. What about them?"

”They’re here- at the station.” He bobbed his head, gesturing toward the doorway between the briefing room and the hallway. Ward strained to see and then saw them, the redhead and the elf, talking to the police chief.

“That's just great.” 

“What do you think it means? You think there's something going on, with magic stuff? Maybe they’ll-”

Nick stopped as the captain entered the room - along with Agents Kandomere and Montehugh. Jakoby and Ward exchanged a look.

"Good morning, everyone," the new captain started, shuffling a pile of papers on her desk before she began. It was a bit more cordial - and less profane - than the way she usually greeted the room, and Nick guessed that was thanks to the presence of the federal agents at her side. "Before we get started today, I'd like to introduce our guests. They are here from the MTF - that's right, the Magic Task Force. Try not to fuck up too badly while they're here." She introduced the two men, each nodding as she read their names.

"It looks like Officers Ward and Jakoby will be assisting these agents with some federal business for the next few days. Anyone have questions? No? Good." She answered her question without waiting for a response. Ward and Jakoby exchanged another look, both feeling more confused.

"Ward! Jakoby! You ladies waiting for an engraved invitation? NOW." The captain barked. Nick sprang up like a shot and Ward stood a bit more slowly, bristling at her tone.

The officers followed the federal agents into the hallway, and then into a soundproof room for information about a classified mission.

* * *

Several hours after the federal agents had met them at the station, Nick and Daryl arrived at the Magic Task Force field office. As requested, they were dressed in street clothes and each carried an overnight bag, prepared for three or four days of travel.

The agents had hand-selected them to transport a prisoner from Los Angeles to a high-security MTF holding facility outside of Dallas. Agent Montehugh had told the officers that they'd really impressed the MTF with their work during the Leilah situation... and their discretion afterwards. Few could do what they had done, he said. Agent Kandomere just sort of glared while Montehugh spoke. Finally, he stood and handed Nick a folder.

"We've programmed a specific route into the car's GPS. You will follow that route, and not deviate from it. This folder contains a pre-paid gas card, up to $500, and information about each of the safe houses where you will spend the night. Stop every two hours to let the prisoner stretch and to get any food or gas you need. Every two hours, no exceptions. Do NOT let this out of your sight," he told them. Nick nodded once and took the folder, gripping it tightly.

"Alright, a prisoner transport." Ward asked. "So what does this have to do with magic? Why is the MTF involved?"

"Gentlemen," Kandomere started, seeming to ignore Daryl's questions. "Follow me and I will introduce you to your charge."

The four of them walked down a dim hallway that emptied into a large garage. Their footsteps echoed on concrete floors as even rows of SUVs and repair equipment came into view. One vehicle was set apart in a far corner, with four armed guards standing close by. Montehugh let out a loud whistle to catch the guards' attention from across the room.

"Alright, boys, bring 'er out!" he called. The guards moved in unison to slide open the door. Two kept weapons trained on the inside of the vehicle while the others brought the criminal - a woman - to standing.

Nick wondered how dangerous this prisoner must be, and how could the two of them guard a criminal that the MTF had assigned _four armed guards_ to protect?

The two guards helping her stand moved away enough for both Ward and Jakoby to see her face.

Both men stared in shock, recognizing you instantly.

You were famous, in a way. The Bright whose trial had been in the news non-stop for months. Convicted yesterday of murdering 13 people in cold blood, her trial was seen as precedent-setting and symbolic by both pro-magic and anti-magic activists. To most of the public, she was loathed and feared.

Kandomere made introductions between the three of you, though the officers didn’t need them. 

”Nice to meet you both,” you said. “So I guess... road trip?”

* * *

[FLASHBACK - ONE YEAR AND SIX MONTHS EARLIER]

Not your proudest moment, but at the moment you were scared shitless enough not to care. You were hiding in the bathroom of a fast food restaurant, trying your best to silently cast a confounding charm before he found you. Almost, almost... but you had to speak a bit louder for the charm to stick and didn’t want to risk him finding you before the charm held. You hadn't heard the door move in at least five minutes, so you decided to chance it. You cleared your throat, raised your wand, and-

**BAM.**

The elf who'd been hunting you had kicked in the door of the accessible stall where you were crouched above the toilet. "Look, Y/N. I'm not here to hurt you. Just come back and everything will be-"

"You're a MURDERER. I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"That was necessary. I’ll explain it all later, just come with me now, or they’ll arrest you and I won’t be able to help. Look, Jeanette was nice, but she was unremarkable. Her death won’t really matter in the long run. But you- you can be part of something great. Come with me, Leigh.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her hand shook as she held him at bay with her wand. My gods, she thought. Her friends' warnings had been right all along.

”Fuck. OFF!” You waved your wand and a sphere of energy ricocheted around the tiled bathroom before fizzling out like a deflating balloon. The elf laughed.

”You have to come back. You don't have any control of your magical abilities. You point that wand twice: once you might manifest a single blade of grass, the other time a fireball. I can help you!"

"I don't want your fucking HELP! And if I'm so dangerous, maybe you should back the fuck up!" You leapt down and into a standing position, never breaking eye contact as you fixed the wand on him. You remembered being warned about this asshole, but at the time, you didn't see it. You'd been so goddamn blind.

Now, of course, you started to see what kind of person he really was, but the veil wasn't lifted from your eyes until this morning, when you'd seen him stab a person - _your friend_ \- to death, unprovoked. He said that he had to gather her blood for a spell he needed YOU to cast. Stunned, you were too scared to do anything but comply, until he was distracted by a phone call. Something about the ring tone had shaken you from your stupor, and at that point you grabbed your wand and ran. No plan, no destination in mind, you would run until you just couldn't.

And as quickly as he'd found you - hiding in a fast food restaurant bathroom - _he_ was the one on the run. Strange... He actually looked panicked as he backed out of the bathroom and into the restaurant, where a dozen pairs of eyes widened as they saw you with a glowing wand in your bare hand. 

He reached into a small pack and held - something - in his hand as he pushed through the front door and broke into a run out the door. 

Something about this felt wrong.

You followed him anyway, remembering to hide the wand before you did. You gained on him until you were close enough to call his name. He looked over his shoulder at you and lost his footing, falling flat on the sidewalk in front of a tour bus. He reached out, grabbing the side of the bus to pull himself up, then drew a knife and waved it in your direction. "Stay back!" he yelled in a high pitched, terrified voice. A few heads turned. A crowd started to gather.

"Listen, YOU were following ME, asshole! What are you doing?"

"HELP!" He cried out, to no one in particular. "This woman is a BRIGHT and she's trying to KILL ME! Please help me!"

More people turned to watch. The crowd grew larger. A few people brought their phones out to take pictures or video. No one seemed to be coming to his aid, though...

He pointed the knife to his own throat.

"What are you doing? You're making me cut my own throat?"

"...the FUCK?!" You took a few steps towards him, slowly. Suddenly he sprang forward, closing the distance and holding the knife to your throat. So quiet that only you could hear him, he hissed in your ear:

"You'll have nothing. No one. Nowhere to hide. Your whole life will be worthless. Leave now and everyone you care about will pay the price... starting with your boyfriend."

He'd struck a chord. He seemed to be doing it on purpose.

Without thinking you drew your wand and pointed it at him, sending him backwards several feet until he hit the city bus. The gathered crowd gasped when your wand started to glow, and a few screamed at seeing you use it.

Suddenly, a high-pitched _whir_ sound started, and grew louder and louder. It seemed to come from the exact point on the bus where the elf had landed. Your eyes went wide. _What the fuck was going on? **What had you done?**_

You didn't have time to wonder. A spark of flame ignited under the bus, and the crowd started to scatter. The bus passengers were trying desperately to leave as the fire grew with a few pops. Then, all of a sudden-

**BOOM.**

The bus was engulfed in a fireball from the inside out. 

Those people - ALL those people - you thought, or maybe screamed, you didn't know. All of a sudden, you were surrounded by police.

The rest of that day was a blur. Some moments seemed permanently frozen and others you could never remember. People said "under arrest" and "murder" and "freak" and "I'm a lawyer that has been paid for you by a third party."

The only thing you remembered clearly from that day was a number: Seventeen.

Seventeen people died that day because of you.

No. You had killed seventeen people.

* * *

[present day]

On the road, finally. Even though you were heading towards death row, the open road was nice to see. You were buckled in place, enjoying what scenery you could make out through the small, heavily tinted windows. You looked ahead at the two officers: the orc was driving and the human rode in the passenger seat. Your wrists were shackled, but you also wore a bracelet on your left arm that glowed with a dull blue light. You twisted it around your wrist every now and then. The orc looked back at her every few minutes.

"Hey, guys?"

"You talking to us, inmate?" the human shot back. "Because our name is Officer. Not guys, not hey you. Both of us have the same name: Officer."

Well, this was going to be fun.

"Fine. Hey Officers: I might need to take a little break in a few minutes."

Ward groaned, but it had already been almost two hours. The officers settled on a exit coming up, where there would be a large gas station. After you'd gone to use the facilities, Nick stayed back with you at the car while Ward went in to buy a few bottled waters.

“So...” Officer Jakoby started. You looked at him, wondering what he might be thinking.

“Yeah.” That was all you could manage. Small talk was no longer in your skill set, you realized.

He took a step away from the car so that he could face you.

”Can I ask you something?”

”Anything, Officer.”

”You can call me Nick, you know.”

You said nothing.

“Back at the MTF... Why’d you pretend we didn’t know each other? I mean, we used to be-"

Just then, Ward came out of the gas station with a small bag. They'd have to finish this conversation later.


	2. Chapter 2

"Why'd you pretend that we don't know each other? I mean, we used to be-"  
  
Just then, Ward re-emerged from the gas station’s convenience store and Nick stopped himself mid-sentence. Leigh answered in a quiet voice.  
  
"I just thought it would be easier. For you."  
  
Both stood outside the car, side by side, facing the store. Nick turned his head, waiting for her to continue.  
  
"You’re a cop now. I’m assuming you’re not eager for your co-workers to know you used to date a murderer?"  
  
"I don't believe that. You know that, right?" He had never believed she was guilty. He wanted to say more, but Daryl had had reached the car. He stepped back a bit.  
  
”Right, let’s get you back in your seat.”  
  
Gently, he placed a hand at the small of your back to guide you while he helped you back into the car. His strong hand on your back brought back unexpected memories. You leaned forward toward him and whispered:  
  
"You can tell your partner if you want, Nick. I know you hate to keep secrets." He didn't respond as he buckled her in, but he gave her a reassuring pat on the arm. There wasn't really any time to say more as Ward climbed into the driver's seat. Nick headed to the passenger seat. Before the car started, Leigh felt something heavy land on her lap in a small plastic bag.  
  
"Here you go, Inmate. Bottle of water and a bag of trail mix. Just in case you get hungry."  
  
This was a nice surprise. Maybe the human officer wasn't too bad, after all.  
  
"Um... thank you, Officer."  
  
"Don't worry about it."  
  
"This looks gre-"  
  
"I SAID don't worry about it."  
  
She slumped back into her seat. Well, so much for that. Nick furrowed his brow at the exchange and muttered something to his partner that you couldn't hear. The human - Ward, she remembered - breathed deeply and sighed.  
  
"Look, Inmate" the human officer started. "We're not gonna be friends, okay? I don't make friends with mass murderers. But I guess if we're going to be locked in a car together for a few days, we can give each other a break."  
  
"Okay," she responded, surprised. Then after a beat, "Officer."  
  
“You like music, inmate?” Ward asked fiddling with the radio buttons.  
  
“Sure… yeah. Anything but country music or Orcish music.”  
  
“Sorry, Nick- you’re outvoted. Even murderers have standards.” Nick shook his head a little at his partner’s teasing.

Leigh made eye contact with Nick via his visor mirror. She could have sworn he gave a subtle wink as Ward turned the ignition.  
  
Things seemed to thaw a bit between the three of them as they continued on.  
  
That evening, Ward pulled into a small roadside diner for dinner. Leigh was handcuffed to Nick as the trio walked into the diner, staying close to each other so that the cuffs weren’t too obvious. Ward picked a booth in the far corner and the three of them studied the menu. The waitress seemed exhausted. Her eyes darted to the handcuffs right away, but she didn’t react as she took their orders.

After a few quick minutes, dinner arrived. Leigh was hungry but something in this diner felt… off. She stared at her grilled cheese and tomato slices and tried to will herself to eat.

* * *

_**[FLASHBACK: TWO YEARS AGO]  
** _

This was Leigh's first time visiting this gardening shop, and the last thing on her list - a packet of tomato seeds - were blocked by another customer who’d been reading seed packets, one at a time, for the past five minutes. He hadn’t noticed her pacing in the aisle, so after a few minutes, she’d decided to speak up.

"You know, I think if you hold those any longer, they might sprout."

The person startled, nearly dropping the seed packet he was holding. He turned around to face her - Leigh hadn’t even noticed he was an orc from behind, and now it was her turn to be surprised. He smiled sheepishly as he made eye contact with the human woman. He'd been afraid she was mocking him, but when he looked in her eyes he found no malice. She smiled and nervously brushed a little  of her long red hair behind one ear.  
  
Leigh had only been in Los Angeles for a few months, but she'd already met or spoken to about a dozen orcs - which was about a dozen more than the entire orcish population of her small hometown. They were nothing at all like the racist stereotypes her parents had tried to scare her with when she told them she was moving here. This guy was polite, even shy.  
  
“I’m sorry, I was lost in my thoughts. Did you need to get by, ma’am?” His pointed ear twitched slightly as he held eye contact. Leigh was surprised to feel herself starting to flush, completely forgetting what she meant to ask. She turned back toward the seed display, hoping he wouldn’t notice the color in her cheeks.  
  
"Sorry, sir- Can I just reach in front of you quickly? I was looking for those tomato seeds- the Brandywines.”  
  
“Oh?” He started to lift them out of their slot, then paused. “You know, these Brandywines do much better in cooler climates. If you’re here in L.A., I’d recommend these.” He handed her the Brandywine seeds she’d asked for and another packet that read Gold Medal. “I’ve had very good luck with these.”  
  
“Oh thanks… and yes, I’m here in L.A. This is all new to me. My apartment has a community garden so I figured I’d try to learn.”  
  
“Well, enjoy your garden.” He paused for a second. “I hope you don’t mind me saying so, but it’s a little early for those peppers. I’d wait just a few weeks if I were you.” He nodded toward the contents of her basket.  
  
“Yeah, I really don’t know what I’m doing,” she admitted with a laugh. “I just thought I’d try a few things out and see what takes. I’ll probably just end up harvesting a bunch of dead leaves.” He laughed at that, and the sound - low and resonant - took her breath away. Lee's cheeks started to flush again. She couldn’t believe the reaction she was having to this person she’d just met.  
  
“You’ll be fine, I’m sure,” he said reassuringly. He gave her a slight smile and a nod and continued to make his way through the store.  
  
Leigh brought her purchase to the checkout counter, a smile still on her lips from meeting Mr. Tomatoes.  
  
“Will this be all today?” asked the teenage clerk.  
  
“Yes, thanks. Hey, do you guys ever teach gardening classes? I think I could use some basics.”  
  
"Sometimes,” he shrugged, “but honestly, if you want to learn about gardening, the guy you were talking to would probably be the best person here to talk to."  
  
"Oh the, um, orc guy?” Leigh tried to seem casual as she asked this. She was unsuccessful. The clerk smirked a little. “He did seem pretty knowledgeable." She looked around for the orc, but saw him already in the parking lot, headed for his car.  
  
"Yeah, that's Nick. He's here every week. Great guy. He brings in stuff from his garden all the time and it's amazing." Lee made a mental note of this. The cashier looked up as he finished bagging your purchases and winked. "He's also single."  
  
Leigh flushed for the third time, and wondered exactly how obvious her attraction was. She quickly thanked the clerk and rushed out to her car.  
  
In any case, she made a mental note of that second fact, too.

* * *

The following week, she came back to the garden shop with friends: Chad and Jeanette. Chad was an elf, another student from the school for Brights that Leigh had come here to attend. Jeanette was a human teacher at the school. She taught History of Magic. Lee had tested out of her class, but the two women had clicked as friends right away. Leigh confided in Jeanette about the big blue mysterious tomato expert and she’d insisted on coming along the next week, for moral support. Chad just sort of invited himself along. He wasn’t exactly a friend but he was always sort of… around.  
  
“That’s him. He just parked.” Leigh told them in a low voice. Both of their heads whipped around at once. “Shit, guys, be subtle!”

“He’s an _**orc**_? You brought us here to meet an orc? Christ.” asked Chad. She had mentioned it. Chad was just taking an opportunity to be an ass.  
  
“Remember what I told you, Leigh.” Jeanette said, ignoring Chad. “Orcs can detect strong emotions more easily than humans, so just breathe, relax. Be casual.”  
  
“Right.” Easier said than done, she thought.  
  
Leigh tried to ( _casually_ ) check out a display of windchimes as Nick entered the shop. She placed a hand lightly on one hip and shifted her weight, affecting a posture she thought was cute. She felt good: carefree and casual until – _shit_ – she lost her balance and wobbled a little, body-checking the entire display of windchimes as she fell to the ground. 

The sound - something like **_clangCLANGdingdongDINGclangCLAAANGGG_ ** \- rang out over the quiet shop.

From across the space, Nick looked straight at her. Great. His face showed confusion, concern, and then a flash of recognition. He headed straight over.  
  
_Well, if he didn’t remember you before, he certainly would now_ , Leigh thought.  
  
“Are you alright, ma’am?” He sounded genuinely concerned as he held out a hand to help her up. She gladly took it and tried to act as casual as possible as the chimes continued ringing.  
  
“Oh just fine, thank you. Just a little bruise to the dignity.”  
  
“At least we know the windchimes work.” He smiled warmly. Was he flirting or just trying to make you feel better? “Hey, you’re the lady from last week, right? Did you end up buying any seeds?”  
  
“Yeah, thanks. I went with your suggestion. The Gold Medal seeds are already sprouting and they look great so far.”  
  
“Glad to hear it, Miss-?”  
  
“It’s Leigh. Leigh Caldwell.” you answered. “And you are?”  
  
“Nick Jakoby.”  
  
“Thank goodness. She can stop calling you ‘Tomato Guy’ now,” Chad piped up. Now Lee really regretted bringing him. She shot him a look.  
  
“Ignore him, please,” she said, trying despite all odds to affect calmness and confidence. “Um, hey. The clerk said you were the go-to person around here for gardening advice. Could you- I mean, would you be willing to come look at my plot in the community garden sometime? I’d love some advice.”  
  
“Yes!” He said a bit too quickly, then seemed to compose himself. “I mean, um, sure, I could do that. Here,” He wrote his number on a scrap of paper in his pocket. “Call me and we’ll find a time.”  
  
Leigh flashed him a smile.  
  
“Thanks, Nick. Oh, it looks like my friends are ready to go-” Jeanette grabbed the nearest item on a shelf – an ugly ceramic frog - and walked dutifully toward the checkout counter. They’d discussed this in advance, but Leigh admired her commitment to the part. She was a good friend. “I’d better tag along or I’ll miss my ride.”  
  
“Okay. Just give me a call. Oh and hey- do you know why Orcs are so good at gardening?” 

Puzzled, Leigh shook her head. “I’ve no idea- something about Jirak?”

He held up both hands and wiggled his thumbs.  
  
“Two green thumbs.” He smiled proudly at his joke. You couldn’t help it - you smiled, too.

Leigh walked towards Jeanette feeling like she was on a cloud. The effect this guy had on her – she couldn’t explain it, but she enjoyed it. Even better, she'd started to sense that these feelings might be mutual. She barely heard a word Jeanette and Chad said the whole way back home.

Over and over, Leigh read the note again. He’d written his number and then:

> _Hope to hear from you._
> 
> _-Nick aka “Tomato Guy”_

* * *

_**[present day]  
** _

The waitress dropped off the check as the trio polished off mediocre meals. As they got ready to leave, an elderly man walked by, dropping something that landed under the booth. As he stooped to retrieve it Leigh leaned down as well. She grabbed what had fallen – a handkerchief – and as she tried to lift it up to hand it to him, she was surprised to find the man crouched down, making eye contact with her under the booth.  
  
_It’s me, Leigh. Don’t say anything_. She heard the words inside her head: Chad’s voice. He was using this stranger as a proxy to communicate telepathically - one of his favorite spells.

Fucking Chad.  
  
She stared at him, feeling more anger than shock. He still needed something from her, apparently. She certainly wasn’t eager to do this asshole any favors. Plus, whatever he wanted, she was confident that it would hurt people. She scanned the restaurant to see if he was somewhere here.

_Don’t bother looking for me. We’re not here yet but we’re coming. II’ll make sure your pig-nose boyfriend suffers first. And I’ll make sure you get the blame for their deaths, too._

“Listen to me, motherfucker,” she hissed. “I’m not going anywhere with you.” The officers both heard this and turned to face their charge  
  
"You want them to live, you come with me when I show up in person.” he said out loud, rising to his feet.

She stared at him, seething. The officers just looked at each other.  
  
“Sir?” Ward asked the man. “Is everything okay?”  
  
Leigh watched the man closely. Suddenly his eyes just... _changed_. Chad had left.  
  
“I- I don’t know, son,” he replied, looking completely confused. “I’m not sure how I got here.”  
  
“It’s okay, sir. I was just wondering the same thing myself. Let’s see what we can find out. Maybe we can call some people, see if one of us can figure this out.” Ward guided the man to find a public phone.  
  
Once they were out of earshot, Nick looked at Leihj from across the table.  
  
“What was that? Tell me. I know it was something bad.”  
  
“Chad knows where we are.”

" _Chad?_ " It had been a long time since he'd heard that name. He was not eager to hear it now. "How? Why?"

“No clue. He's tracking us somehow. Probably magic. But he has to be pretty close by to use a location spell like that.”  
  
Nick shook his head. Ward returned and Lee tried to explain about Chad and the telepathy to the two officers. The three made their way back to the car. Outside, something on the ground outside caught Nick's eye. He leaned down and picked up a folded piece of paper.  
  
As he unfolded it, Leigh's heart dropped. Nick cursed. It was a map of the exact route Agent Kandomere had insisted you take. The official MTF agency seal was stamped in one corner.

Her head spun as she thought about what that must mean. Either they’d stolen information from the MTF or they had a contact inside the agency.

Even worse, the map meant that Chad had lied about something else: he had been here, and recently. He must be somewhere very close.

* * *

Kandomere shut his eyes tightly at his desk and pinched the bridge of his nose. He’d been here for ten hours and eyestrain was setting in. He was following Jakoby, Ward, and Caldwell off and on. Everything had been uneventful until dinner. The spike in psychic magical energy had lit up the MTF sensors. Right after that, the transport vehicle had turned sharply. Something had scared them. Even more alarming, he thought: Something - or someone - must have found them.

The agent gathered a few things - magic dampening devices, the GPS monitor he was using to track the car - and called one of the MTF pilots. He’d have to leave right away and somehow meet up with the three of them along the route. 

He wondered how much time he had.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been a little delayed in posting this recent chapter, but I'm back in the swing of things now... One change has been made: the main protagonist is now a character named Leigh Caldwell instead of a reader insert. (Leigh rhymes with Lee) I sincerely hope this doesn't bother anyone- I just struggle to write for reader inserts and the main female character in this story was starting coming more and more alive to me, so I wanted to give her more substance. Also, something about her as an OC is just plain fun to write.
> 
> I'm excited about the next few chapters and I hope some folks are enjoying this! Comments/questions/etc are welcome and appreciated!

After doubling back to make sure they weren’t followed, Nick and Daryl had decided to take a 50 mile detour south before continuing along roughly parallel to the route. It seemed safe enough as they drove, but as night fell, they realized that they'd be without the security of the designated MTF safe house overnight. Nick and Daryl decided to sleep in shifts when they found a place.

Eventually, they pulled into a shabby roadside motel whose signs boasted: _Color televisions in every room!_

Daryl went in alone to pay for a room while Leigh and Nick - neither of whom were exactly inconspicuous - stayed in the car.

”How are you doing back there?”

”Fine, Nick.” Leigh said in an oddly neutral tone. She felt numb. 

Nick sighed and turned around to face her.

”Can- can we just talk for a second? I wanted to tell you before: I don’t believe- I never believed you were guilty. You can tell me what happened if you want, but you don't have to. I wanted you to know that I never doubted you.”

Leigh felt hot tears spring up at the corners of her eyes. How long had it been since anyone had expressed that kind of support? She couldn't remember. How long since anyone had even spoken to her in a kind tone of voice? She tried to gather herself before responding.

”What difference does it make?” She asked as tears started to fall. “You can believe me all you want, but you’re still driving me to a prison, where I’ll be executed. According to the law, I'm still guilty, and according to Chad, you’re still at risk as long as you’re anywhere near me.”

Nick looked at her with a cold resolve she almost didn't recognize.

”Look, I’ve been thinking about this since we started out and I’m serious. I want to promise you something: as long as you’re with me, you’ll be safe. I’m not going to hand you over to- anyone who might harm you. Even the feds. I _promise_ that to you, okay?” 

She was stunned. Was he really planning to do something that would get him kicked off the force? Lee knew more than most how much his badge meant to him. She didn’t quite believe he would risk that for her.

”But you-“

” _Safe_. I promise." His confident tone was reassuring, if surprising. "We'll figure the details out later."

* * *

One by one, Chad had worked for two years to isolate her from all of her friends, family, and other potential sources of help. Soon, he'd have Leigh's considerable magical gifts at his disposal. He hated to admit that her magic was much stronger than his - in fact, much stronger than most Brights he'd ever met - but if he could get her to come to him for help willingly, he'd be able to fully exploit her magic, and finally help the Inferni bring back the Dark Lord. He wasn't much for all that old religious nonsense, really, but Inferni members were the most powerful people in society: It was his hope that helping them would mean he'd be set for life.

And up to now, things had been going right according to plan.

That's probably why, when he realized that the transport vehicle had diverted from the route, he had fucking blown a gasket.

"I told you you shouldn't have confronted them in that damned diner, Chad," scolded a young female elf with purple hair as she walked past the sparking wreckage of her laptop. Chad had thrown it against the wall in a fit. He was a self-indulgent child, but he was a necessary ally in the Inferni's end goal. Unlike Chad, she was an Inferni member and a true believer in the cause of raising the Dark Lord, but she was not a Bright herself. He relied on her for her connections and because she was bankrolling this little venture. She frowned at his temper tantrum. This idiot would NOT ruin things for her. "But, no. You just had to swoop in, and now she knows that we’re following her. Fuck's sake, Chad."

"Okay, Sarah," he replied with barely contained hostility as he waved his wand over a map, trying to make the location spell cast a wider net. On its own, the location spell Chad preferred was better than a tracking device, but only if the magic user could accurately give a 20 mile radius. Once the person in question was located, the spell shifted to use that person as a central point. Easy. Almost foolproof.

Almost...

Chad had severed the location spell for a few minutes while he projected telepathically into an old man so that he could threaten Leigh to her face. He wanted to look into her eyes and feel her fear. Over the years this mission had become personal to Chad. There was a time when he wanted more from Leigh Caldwell than her magic, but she never saw him as a romantic potential. He could take that in stride until she jumped in bed with a fucking orc. All the time he'd helped her study and hung around and that was her choice. After that, he just wanted to crush her.

Indulging in his vendetta at the diner had cost him. He'd overestimated his own magical strength and the telepathic work had left him so depleted that by the time he'd been able to re-cast the locating spell, Lee and her police guards were well out of tracking range. He stared at the dormant map for a few minutes.

"Fine," he said at last. "We don't know where they are now, but we still know where they're going. We'll head right to the MTF facility. Stop them right before they get there."

Sarah looked at him, calmly but sternly.

"Let's do it. But Chad? No more bullshit."

* * *

Daryl drove around to park right in front of their hotel room. It was already dark and they'd leave early tomorrow, but he couldn't help worrying about what might happen if Leigh was recognized. Daryl unlocked the room while Nick loaded up all of the luggage himself and carried it into the room. The parking lot was deserted, but there were a few people leaning over the upstairs balcony and smoking. Nick made eye contact with one of them - a white male human in his early fifties - and nodded at him with a slight smile. It was a congenial gesture he'd seen humans exchange between each other. He hoped it would put the man at ease. It seemed to have the opposite effect. The man scowled at Nick and shook his head, extinguishing his cigarette on the metal bannister before heading back into his room.

Nick shrugged, relieved that he wasn't paying attention to their passenger. As the officers helped Leigh out of the car, she looked in Nick's eyes. Suddenly, he saw warmth there that felt like old times - good times. He gave her what he hoped was a subtle wink and realized he'd have to have a conversation with Daryl sometime soon.

The room had two small beds and a table with two chairs. The officers decided to take turns sleeping in one while Leigh slept in the other. Daryl volunteered to stay awake for the first shift. He was still keyed up from driving the last few hours. He placed the chair by the window while Leigh tried to get comfortable in the closer bed. Meanwhile, Nick had fallen asleep almost instantly in the bed closer to the bathroom.

Soon, it was completely silent. Nick had told Leigh once that orcs didn't snore because of the shape of their noses, and she laughed to herself remembering how many times she had jostled him awake when they were together, convinced he'd stopped breathing in his sleep.

"Something funny, Inmate?" Ward asked in a low voice, just above a whisper.

She sighed and rolled to face Ward, whispering: "Not really." 

"Since you're not sleeping, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Did you do it?"

"Why would you ask that?" Lee asked, annoyed. She propped herself up on one elbow. "I'm sure your mind is made up already."

"I've talked to a few dozen murderers over the years." Ward explained. "Usually, the guilty ones don't shut up. It's like they're either relieved to not be running or they're trying to talk someone into something.... but you're not like that. You're so guarded it's like- Like you still think someone's after you. So I don't know. I guess my mind's not made up."

"Okay. I'll tell you.  Honestly, I don't know. I know I used magic. I know I meant to use a minor spell, and I meant to aim it at a particular person, someone who was trying to hurt me. Everything else is a blur. I know... I know I didn't mean to do it. But that doesn't make those 17 people any less dead, so- honestly I don't know. I might have done it."

Daryl thought about that for a few minutes.

"Shit, Caldwell. And that got you the death penalty." He shook his head. "I know this doesn't help, but I think that's bullshit."

Leigh rolled back over on her other side, facing Nick. At least he'd used her name that time instead of calling her "inmate." Maybe Daryl’s support couldn't help, but it didn't hurt, either.

* * *

_**[FLASHBACK: TWO YEARS AGO]** _

Nick and Leigh had been out on two dates so far. Well, one real date, he supposed. The other "date" was an afternoon when Leigh had invited Nick over, allegedly for gardening advice. Nick had been so nervous that day, afraid he might be reading her flirty texts the wrong way, but as soon as he showed up at her house she had put him at ease. She had an easy warmth about her that he couldn't resist. He decided to quit worrying. Whether or not she was interested in him romantically, he enjoyed her company. Still, he was thrilled when, as he was getting ready to leave, she had suddenly thrown her arms around him and given him a quick peck on the lips.

She was also funny - and not how humans usually were, where he didn't quite get their punchlines and they laughed more at him than at their jokes. Their second date (depending on how you counted) had been a picnic dinner at Shakespeare in the Park. Nick strained to understand the Elizabethan dialogue, but Leigh was kind and explained things in a way that didn't make him feel like an outsider. It was a wonderful evening, despite a few ugly looks from some of the other audience members.  She fed him different kinds of cheese with his eyes closed and was endlessly amused by his ability to identify each of them by scent alone.

When he thought of that night, he thought of her soft laugh. The way the sun setting behind her long red hair seemed to light up her whole face.

Beyond her kindness and her looks, however, she had another quality that he always found himself drawn to: a spine of steel. Some people might mistake her more gentle qualities for naivete, but he knew better. She could hold eye contact with anyone - _anyone_ \- without looking away. She wasn't loud or pushy but if she felt something was the right thing to do, she would stand her ground and not be deterred or intimidated. He barely knew her, but everything he learned made him want to know her better. And to his utter delight and surprise, she seemed to feel the same way.

If there was one thing he would change, it was how often her unpleasant elf classmate Chad seemed to linger around. Chad didn't like Nick, and he didn't try to hide it, and Chad and Leigh seemed to get paired up on a lot of class projects. But, that was really her business.

He reflected on all of this as he waited for her, leaning over a balcony in an Oceanside shopping center. The upper level was home to several restaurants and gift shops, and the parking lots were on the lower level. He hoped he'd picked a perfect place to spot her when she arrived. After a bit, he saw her, looking lovely in tall leather boots and autumn-colored clothes, including a moss-green silk scarf that set off her hair beautifully. He waved and somehow, she looked up at the right moment to see him wave and return the gesture. He smiled as she picked up her pace, heading to the staircase. He turned around, his head a bit in the clouds, when he almost ran _SMACK_ into four teenage human boys.

They seemed to have been watching him. One of them spoke.

"Hey pignose, are you lost? This ain't an orc neighborhood."

Nick lowered his head and tried to make his way past the group. He could easily lay out the group of them without much effort, but he had just started in the Police Academy and wouldn't risk any public altercations. He would pick his battles, and this was one he could avoid. 

"Pardon me, guys," Nick said with a forced smile. As he tried to make his way past, one of the boys moved to block him. The area they were standing was somewhat isolated from the rest of the shopping center. No one else was really in view.

Suddenly he heard a small metallic sound, the _schick_ of a switchblade opening. Shit.

"Look guys - I don't want any trouble. Just let me pass and I'll get out of here." He thought of Leigh climbing the staircase and started to panic. He didn't want her anywhere around if these twerps really meant to be violent.

"It's a little late for that, pigskin. We saw you there - staring at human girls. That's fucking disgusting, you know that? You think a human would ever touch you?" Nick kept his face neutral and gave no response. "We're gonna do you a favor and cut your fucking eyes out. That way none of these nice human ladies have to worry about some ugly fucking orc staring at them. I don't know- I think it's a good plan." Nick smirked. Even with one guy holding each arm and another holding his head still, he could easily shrug off these punks. He was about to do just that when the wind shifted and he froze. He could tell Leigh's scent anywhere. 

As she figured out what was happening she'd started running towards the group.

" ** _HEY!_** Assholes!" she yelled. "Get the FUCK away from him!" The boys turned to face her. Lee started searching for something in her purse. "Dammit..." she muttered. _What was she doing?_

"Listen lady, we're just talking with this orc here. Don't worr-"

His words were cut off by a flash of light and Leigh yelling some words in Old Ovusi. Was that- a magic wand?

The flash subsided, and the four boys practically dropped Nick on the ground. They looked at each other confusedly and walked off in different directions, without a word.

"What the-?"

"Nick, are you okay? My gods! Those fucking assholes- did they hurt you?" She had run to him and was cupping his face in her hands. He covered one of her small hands with his larger one and smiled up at her.

"Leigh, I'm fine. What was that- Are you a _Bright_?"

"Oh..., um, yeah, I am,” she admitted. “The 'graduate school' I came here to attend, you know? It's a magic training program. Look- I hope you're not upset that I didn't tell you. They told me it was better to keep it quiet."

"No, it's okay. I understand. Things can be dangerous for Brights. But what did you do to those kids?"

"Oh!" She laughed a little. "Just a confounding charm. They'll have no memory of the past thirty minutes and they'll be a little dazed for a bit, but they'll be fine in an hour. Better than they deserve. You're sure you're okay?" Nick nodded and raised himself to his feet. "I promise that kind of thing does NOT happen all the time. Really. Never."

Nick laughed drily. "I wish I could say the same. But that kind of thing? Random racist assholes? It does happen all the time."

"Oh, Nick..." She took his arm and led him out of the dark corner where he'd been waiting for her and into a more crowded area. He seemed to take the whole incident in stride but she was shaken. As they walked into a courtyard-type open area, a few heads turned their way. “I hate that for you, Tomatoes.” He laughed a little at the pet name, but his tone grew serious.

"I want to be honest with you. You should know what it means to date an orc, or even socialize with one. People are going to treat you differently. They're going to say ugly things to us, about us. If that is a problem, I understand."

Without a pause, Lee leaned up, took his head in her hands, and in the middle of the crowded courtyard, gave Nick a deep, lingering kiss.

"You listen to me, you sweet beautiful Orc. The day I let some jerks I don't even know change the way I do anything, that's - well, that's the day I'm not myself anymore. I like you, okay? The only two people who are going to have any affect on our relationship are you and I."

Nick smiled and pulled her in for another kiss.

"I'm glad you showed up when you did," he told her. "You were my knight in shining armor."

"Don't you forget it."

* * *

_**[PRESENT DAY]** _

Early the next morning, Nick woke Leigh up, anxious to get her hidden from view and the three of them on the road. He'd loaded up most of the car and Daryl was checking out at the front office. Nick replaced her cuffs, avoiding the MTF bracelet that dampened her magic abilities, and led her outside-

-where a few dozen people stood, staring at them.

Like they'd been waiting.

Shit, Nick thought. Someone must have recognized them last night. The older man that had given Nick an ugly look last night walked straight toward them. Nick tried to get Leigh in the vehicle before he reached them but the man was quick. Nick had only made it to the front of the car.  Quickly, he pushed Lee behind him, blocking her from the crowd with his body. He puffed out his chest and stood firm as the man approached.

"Hey! Orc! Is that Leigh Fucking Caldwell?"

"Sir, I'm a police officer on assignment. This is a federal law enforcement matter. Please go on about your business."

"I don't fucking believe it. You're that fucking pignose cop. A little far from L.A., ain't ya? Well listen- you know those people she killed? One of them came from this town. Some folks here would like to have a word with her." He stepped closer as he spoke. 

"Sir, that's close enough. I'm going to need to ask you to back up."  Out of the corner of his eye, Nick saw Ward, who'd been walking slowly toward the car until he scanned the situation and picked up his pace.

"Tell you what. Why don't we take a little work off your plate?" A younger man behind him snickered. Nick did not like the emotions that were radiating off this crowd: anger, vengeance, an ache for violence. "I mean, say she 'ran away' while you were taking her to wherever you're going. That wouldn't be your fault. You'd get to walk outta here, we'd be happy, and a dangerous criminal would be... dealt with."

Nick felt Lee grip the back of his right arm. Her fear woke something else in him: a protective instinct.

The crowd grew closer. Daryl was still a few dozen yards away. 

In their relationship, Leigh had had to play the role of protector much more often than Nick had. He thought of the first time she'd come to his aid, the day she'd outed herself as a Bright. She'd taken that risk without a second's pause, just for him. He'd joked about her protecting him and she'd retorted playfully: _Don't you forget it._

He never had.

Slowly, Nick reached for his service revolver. He took a deep breath as the crowd closed in.


	4. Chapter 4

Slowly, Nick reached for his service revolver. He took a deep breath as the crowd closed in.

"Sir, as I mentioned, this is police business." This was one of those times when police force might be necessary, but Nick still hated it. He drew his weapon and trained it on the man who seemed to be leading the small crowd. "Stop where you are."

"And like I said, hand over that prisoner and you're free to go." The man remained unmoved by Nick's gun.

Behind him, Leigh's hand rested on his back, and he could almost feel her fear through her touch. Without her magical abilities, Nick and Ward were the only thing standing between her and an angry mob.

" _Sir, I'm gonna need you to STAND THE FUCK DOWN_ ," Ward bellowed as he reached the car. He flashed his badge and quickly pocketed to draw his own gun. The man slowed but kept advancing. Ward stepped in front of Nick and Leigh to give them cover. "Nick- get the prisoner in the car and get ready to get the fuck out of here." 

Nick nodded and started to move, but just then a rock - thrown by someone in the crowd - hit the transport vehicle with a loud BANG. Leigh dropped to the ground, hitting the gravel parking lot with a thud as she fell on her cuffed wrists. Nick swiftly helped her up, secured her in the car and climbed into the driver's seat.

Keeping his weapon trained Daryl backed up until he felt the transport vehicle behind him. In one movement, he opened the door, stepped inside, and slammed the door behind him. The second he shut his door, Nick, Daryl, and Leigh heard the crowd break into a run towards them. 

"Nick, GO!" Daryl yelled. Nick did as he said, pressing down the gas pedal and sending Leigh and Daryl slamming backwards as he spun the car around and headed for the highway.

In the rear view mirror, Nick saw the older man climb into a pale blue pick-up truck with a few of the other guys climbing in the back.

Nick, we've got a blue Ford truck, soon to be in pursuit. Can we shake these rednecks?"

Nick nodded once without replying, but he wondered how the hell that was going to happen in this open, rural area. No parking garages or tall buildings, and taking side roads would kick up a cloud of dust that would give them away to anyone within a couple of miles.. Their best option would be to make it far enough down the highway that there'd be more traffic, then pulling over to a "speed trap" position and letting the truck pass. That would require getting some decent space between the two vehicles but, luckily, Nick saw no sign of the truck in the rear view mirror. So far.

Gripping the steering wheel tighter, Nick gave the gas pedal a bit more pressure anyway.

An hour later, neither of the officers saw any sign of the truck following them.

"Maybe they decided to forget about it," Ward suggested.

"Maybe," agreed Nick gruffly. He'd sensed their intense hostility and seriously doubted it, but he didn't have an alternate theory at the moment. He kept his focus on the road. Beside him, Ward yawned.

"Hey Nick, you think we could stop and get some coffee or something?"

"Maybe. If we see someplace to stop, then yes, but I don't think I've seen a gas station in fifteen miles." Nick's attention was elsewhere anyway. He'd waited too long to tell Daryl about his history with the prisoner, but he knew he shouldn't wait any more. He didn't know what kind of reaction to expect.

"Look, partner- I have to tell you something."

* * *

Agent Kandomere had just landed at the Phoenix airport and was waiting to deplane along with a couple hundred of what he imagined were the world's chattiest humans and orcs. MTF budget cuts these days meant flying commercially, much to the agent's dismay.  The least they could do was pay for him to fly Elf Class, but no.

He couldn't wait to get out of this crowded airport.  The smells of this place clung to him: diesel fuel, fast food, terrible human fashion choices.

Making his way down the escalator, elbowing past the riders who stood still as though it were a carnival ride, the agent finally made it to the ground floor where his driver waited with a bored expression and a wrinkled paper reading KANDOMERE. The driver - who introduced himself as Argyle - helped the elf with his rolling suitcase and led him to a small silver sedan. The agent sighed at this rather... practical choice.

Once in the car, the agent opened his laptop, navigated to a map program and breathed a sigh of relief. The prisoner's tracking device - embedded in the same bracelet that was used to dampen her magical abilities - was operating perfectly. The car was about 40 miles off course, but he could see her location clearly. Finally, something about this assignment was working in his favor. 

"Driver - can we get a secure phone line in here?"

"Sure thing, Agent- just a second."

* * *

In the backseat, Leigh glanced down at her skinned wrists. She was able to pick the gravel out but her skin was stinging and raw from her fall. Up front, Nick was speaking in a low voice and though she couldn't quite make out the particulars, based on Daryl's glances at her, she could guess the broad strokes.

She turned her attention to her injured wrist again and nearly winced: a blinding beam of blue light, working its way through a hairline crack, gleamed through the MTF's anti-magic bracelet. The crack must have happened when she'd fallenl. She dug a fingernail in the crack and found she could easily work the bracelet apart, at least a little.

Leigh's heart started to pound, thinking of what this might mean, when a sudden cellphone ring caused her to nearly jump out of her skin. She twisted the bracelet around so that the crack on the underside of the bracelet, concealed between her wrist and lap. 

The officers looked at each other. The phone didn't belong to either of them, but the sound was coming from the front seat. Daryl looked around the dashboard and floor before finding it in the glove compartment.

"LAPD, Who is this?" he asked in a sharp tone.

"Officer Ward, good morning. It seems the three of you are doing some sightseeing? I would hate for your official duties to get in the way of your trip." The federal agent was calm but very clearly annoyed.

"Hello, Agent." Ward rolled his eyes before continuing. "Yeah, we had to take a detour but we're on track to make it to the destination tomorrow, per our assignment." 

"It's very kind of you to remember that you are, in fact, on an official assignment. Can you tell me why you re-routed, Officer? Those were not your instructions. Was I unclear about any part of this?"

"Hey, don't look at us. Our route became compromised thanks to _your_ agency." The map they'd found outside the diner, complete with MTF stamp, was folded in the console. Daryl was glad Nick had insisted they keep it. "Hello?" The elf's side of the call had fallen silent.

"Officer, I will meet you at the second safe house tonight. Arrive no later than 6:00pm."

"See you th-" Daryl started to respond, but the agent had ended the call. He shook his head and replaced the phone. "Okay Nick, that was the elf federal agent. It looks like we're headed to meet up with Mister Personality at the safe house tonight."

"I'm pretty sure his name is Kandomere," Nick offered.

* * *

 

_**[FLASHBACK: TWO YEARS EARLIER]** _

Leigh woke up with Nick's strong arm curled around her. As she started to stir, she heard a sharp sniff from Nick.

Last night was their first time together, and Leigh was hoping he might be ready for another round this morning. Being with him was incredible: he was so gentle with her- but almost too gentle. She was hoping he might let go a little more today. He'd said something about Orcish sex being a little rougher than humans, and Orcish bodies a bit more resilient. She'd never been with an Orc before and he'd never been with a human. He just wanted to be sure.

He brought her to climax twice before he even took off his boxers. When he finally removed them, she appreciated the extra attention - his cock was the biggest she'd ever seen. 

"Hmmmorning," he mumbled, still half-asleep. He snuggled a little closer to her and when she felt his smooth body move against hers, she remembered that they'd both fallen asleep naked.

"Morning, Nick. Sleep well?"

He chuckled, nuzzling into her neck.

"Mm-hmm. God, you smell good," he told her. She hummed and rolled over to face her sweet Orc, running a hand along the length of his torso and letting it rest on his well-shaped ass.

"What are you talking about? I haven't even showered."

Nick nuzzled her harder.

"That's what makes you smell so good. You don't smell like all those human-made chemicals and lotions - you smell like _you._ And a little bit like me because of, well, last night." He gave her neck a little nibble. "It's nice."

"So you like how I smell, huh?" she teased, giving his butt a little squeeze and moving closer to him. Subtlety was overrated, she thought, as she ran her fingertips lightly, slowly, up and down his hip.

She looked in his eyes and saw a heavy-lidded hungry look.

"Yes, I do." Without another word he rolled her over so that she was hovering over him, drawing a surprised "Oh!" from her as he did. He sat up partially, kissing her and guiding her into a position where she straddled him, resting her weight on her knees on the bed. He kept his hands lightly on her hips as he lay back down, then guided her forward and down so that her hips were poised just over his lips. He looked at Leigh for a moment with questioning eyes, then when she responded with a "Yes, please!" he eagerly spread her folds open, breathing deeply to take in her intoxicating scent before he passed his tongue up and down her pussy and found her clit.

"Oh, Nick- my GODS!" She cried out, surprised by the sudden intense sensations. He moved his hands to her hips, giving her support and keeping her still as he worked on her. His tongue moved expertly in a variety of strokes: long, short, little circles. She grabbed the headboard as each one pushed her a little closer to her climax.. She felt herself warming, tensing when a thought struck her.

"Nick- wait!" He stopped and moved his face enough to make eye contact.

"Something wrong, honey?" _Honey._ That was the first time he'd called her something other than her name and she liked the sound.

"No, I just- hang on." She moved her legs so that she was no longer straddling him, then straddled him again, facing away from him. "Okay," she said, and Nick used his hands to find her clit again - now fully swollen with desire. As he licked her, she leaned forward. Nick gave a deep purr as he realized what she had in mind.

He was rock hard, but the skin of his shaft was velvety soft. She wrapped her fingers around him. They didn't quite touch and this reminder of his size - of how deliciously full she'd felt last night with him inside her - caused her pussy to throb. She pumped his cock a few times before lowering her head to take him in her mouth. She ran her tongue under the rim of the head, circling the shaft and pausing to flicker on a sensitive spot just below the tip, on his underside. Nick stopped what he was doing then to gasp. At that, Leigh took as much of him as she could in her mouth and began to work him as he returned his attentions to her. As her pleasure built up again, her hummed moans caused vibrations that made Nick feel so good he thought he might black out.

It didn't take more than a few minutes of fucking each other this way before Leigh felt her core begin to tighten and tense again. Her hums grew louder and more frequent until she opened her mouth, continuing to pump him with her hand as she sat up and cried out loud, letting her climax overtake her. It lasted a long time - wave after wave of sweet hot ecstasy sparking throughout her body - and Nick didn't stop until she had ridden out every moment.

"Oh, baby, that was so-"

"We're not done yet, mister," she told him, reversing her straddled position one more time, a bit lower this time. She spoke in a low purr. "I want you inside me, Nick. What about you? Do you want to fuck me?"

"Leigh... yes. Please." He reached down to touch her clit again. She was soaking wet but he wanted to be sure she was aroused and open enough to take him without any pain.

He didn't need to worry. She moved to hover over him and as he moved his cock to point at her entrance, she slid onto him easily. She gasped as she felt herself stretch around him.  After a moment, she started moving up and down, slowly at first. Nick's moans and growls got louder, encouraging her as she picked up her pace, rolling her hips back and forth, up and down. He clenched his fists in the sheets, gasping as she found a rhythm that brought him right to the edge.

He came with a roar and called out her name, showering her with wonderfully filthy compliments as she continued riding out his orgasm. She stayed on top of him for a few moments more, until he started to soften, then rolled over to lay next to him again. He wrapped her in both of his strong arms, peppering her forehead and face with kisses while she burst into tired laughter.

"Hey, Nick- how long do you think we can stay naked in bed together?"

"What?" He laughed. "I have no idea."

"I say all day."

"I like how you think, but we'll need to eat at some point."

"Pfft. Overrated." He laughed again and she pulled the sheet to cover both of them. "Let's just stay here, okay?" she asked.

"Okay, okay, you talked me into it. You know, you're a talented negotiator. We could use someone with your skills on the force." She loved when he teased her this way.

Just then, Leigh's phone started to vibrate. "Ugh, NO!" she protested, but got up to check. She'd already missed the call, but it was Chad.

"Great," Nick grumbled. "I'm sure he has some really important things to say about how terrible orcs are." Leigh smirked.

“You really don’t like him, do you?"

Nick shrugged. "Not really. He's a pretty open racist. Plus, I don't like the way acts with you. You know he's into you, right?"

"Nick, stop. He's not. He's just a classmate. Look, Brights are rare and I've got to keep up positive relationships with my classmates. Besides," she said with an unamused look, "I didn't really figure you were the jealous type."

"I'm not jealous, Leigh. I trust you. I just- I can't explain it, but I don't trust him."

"That's the same thing, Nick." She said with an exasperated sigh. "Look, you don't have anything to worry about, okay? I'll try to keep him away from you, and I'll tell him to knock it off with the Orc stuff, but I need you to ease up, too." She didn't wait for a response before she headed for the shower. 

Nick always felt it was important to be honest, but he wished he'd expressed himself differently. It felt like the temperature in the room dropped by several degrees at once. He knew it bothered her when he said anything about Chad, but he couldn't shake the feeling that this guy was bad fucking news.

* * *

**[Present Day]**

"So. You and the inmate have history," Ward began.

"You could say that."

"Makes this kind of a fucked-up assignment for you, huh?"

Nick shrugged and was about to respond when his attention was drawn to an obstruction in the road ahead. "Ward- do you see what I'm seeing?" Nick asked. Ward sat up and looked.

"The local yokel police blockade? Shit, we'll just show our badges and- _oh shit_ , is that who I think it is?" As they got closer, they could see tucked behind the police cars... a pale blue Ford pickup truck.

The guy from last night's hotel was talking and laughing with a man in a sherrif's uniform.

"Ward, I think our situation just went from bad to worse."

"Yeah I think we passed worse without stopping and went right from 'bad' to 'dumpster fire'."

Nick prepared to pull over.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HUGE thanks to @polandspring for help in beta reading this chapter! There's a lot going on here and they gave incredibly helpful feedback!

Nick slowed down and pulled over the car. There were five people waiting at the roadblock: the Sheriff, two police officers, and two of the men who’d recognized Leigh back at the motel. They must have used a shortcut of some kind to pass Nick, Daryl, and Leigh. The men from the motel did not appear to be police officers, but there was no telling what they had already told the sheriff.

In the passenger seat, Ward sighed heavily.

”What’s your plan here, Jakoby?”

”Ward, they’re still police officers. I think we just explain ourselves and continue on our way.”

”Guys-“ Leigh piped up from the back seat.

”Not all of them. You think Mr. Blue Pickup Truck is interested in the law, Nick? He was ready to fire at us back at that motel.”

” _Guys_ -"

“I think the Sheriff would be reasonable.” 

“And if he isn’t?”

“If he isn’t, I have an idea.” Nick leaned over to whisper to Ward, out of Leigh’s earshot. She saw him open the glove compartment and hand the MTF cellphone to Daryl.

Leigh gave up on trying to get their attention and started working on her bracelet, working on the crack until she could pry it open and get them all out of this mess.

At that moment the sound of a megaphone rang out.

”This is the Sheriff of Lincoln County. I’m ordering you to exit the vehicle, slowly, drop your weapons and place your hands on your heads.” The two officers looked at each other before opening their doors, Daryl giving Nick a slight nod. Before he left the car, Nick turned around to Leigh.

“We’re going to stall as long as we can. Just stay low, out of sight.”

* * *

 

**_[TWO YEARS EARLIER]_ **

Nick and Leigh exchanged a few sloppy, wine-fueled kisses on his front porch. It was Leigh’s birthday and they’d just enjoyed a leisurely dinner date at their favorite restaurant. She was looking forward to some additional “celebrations” once they were inside. Reluctantly, Nick separated his lips from hers.

“Leigh, sweetheart, let’s wait until we get inside.”

She draped herself on him as he managed to get his keys in the lock. She started nibbling his ear, causing him to drop the keys twice before he was able to successfully open the door.

”Mmm, now you can give me my _other present_... You know,” She said, talking a little more loudly than usual due to the wine as she stumbled inside. “In the bedroom?”

“Leigh-.”

“I mean you. I mean unwrapping you. And then-”

”Shhh…” he said, stifling some laughter.

”Why shhh? I _know_ you like it when I’m loud.” She pulled up his shirt, running her hands over his skin - she loved the way his muscular chest felt - and started trying to pull his shirt over his head. He giggled and tried to gently hold her hands still.

”Listen, honey,” he whispered, “Trust me- wait a second.”

”What are you-“ Nick cut her off by flipping on the living room light to reveal about fifteen of her friends jumping out from behind furniture.

” _SURPRISE!_ ” They all yelled in unison. A few giggled.

Leigh’s eyes went wide and her hands flew back to her own pockets as she tried to remember exactly how much her friends had just heard. Behind her, Nick smiled shyly. Her friend Jeanette crossed the space to hug her first.

“Leigh, happy birthday! I was so afraid you already knew about the party, but I think now we can safely say that was _not_ the case!” The party burst into laughter at that and any awkwardness in the room evaporated. Nick hung back a bit as Leigh greeted her guests one at a time. He said hello to the ones he already knew and was pleasantly surprised, as he always was with Leigh’s classmates, to sense their ease around him.. There were vanishingly few places where an orc and a human could express affection, but a room full of Brights was one of them. Magic users, in Nick’s experience, tended to hold more nuanced views of the different races than most humans - certainly, more than the humans in his Police Academy class. Leigh’s classmates always spoke to him with the same respect they’d give anyone: elf, orc, or human.

A few hours into the party, Nick went out to the backyard to get a little air. In a corner of the yard he saw... Chad. Nick still didn’t trust him, but he thought this might be a good time for a fresh start. He hated fighting with Leigh, and they’d had so many tense conversations about Chad. Maybe Nick could be the bigger person here. If Leigh got along with him, there must be something good about him. Maybe. In any case, Nick was ready to forget the past and start over. He started to walk towards him when he overheard snippets of a phone conversation and froze in place.

“Yeah. They’re still together, for now. It’s been almost three months, but I’m working on it... I’m actually at his house right now if you can believe it…. I don’t know, she doesn’t even notice my flirting, but he sure does… Of course they don’t suspect anything, she’s so naive, and he’s stupid even for an orc… Yes…Maybe… Look, I mean, she might get hurt that way but it could work…. Yes, I know we need her alive but, actually, an injury might actually be helpful.” Nick heard him laugh as he said this. _What the fuck was this asshole planning?_ “I’m working on it, okay? I’m sure. Yes… okay, fine, I’ll see you later, Sarah.”

 _Well, there went that._ Nick considered what he’d heard as he quietly made his way back to the house. Chad wanted Nick and Leigh to break up - no surprise there - but now he was planning something that might injure her? He saw Leigh through the window, laughing, and hung his head. How could he get her away from him when she saw him every day at her school? Would she believe what he’d just heard?

He thought of Chad laughing as he talked about injuring Leigh. Nick had to keep trying. Even if Leigh was angry. Even if she thought he was just jealous. Even if they got in a huge fight over it.

He wouldn’t - he _couldn’t_ \- let her be hurt, even if it meant things would be uneasy between the two of them.

* * *

**_[PRESENT DAY]_ **

The bracelet that the MTF used to stifle Leigh’s magical powers was actually designed - by a Bright - to make life easier for other Brights. The inventor’s hope was that Brights could use these bracelets to stay safe and undetected while leading lives as normal as possible. She would be horrified to learn that the MTF now used them as a form of prisoner restraint.

The inventor, also a mechanical engineer, had built it with two primary functions. First, its exterior projected a field that neutralized the physical and astrophysical traces left behind by magic use. This would block anyone from detecting the wearer’s magical activity. Second, its interior was built to shrink and conceal a wand. The external structure of the device was a sturdy military-grade polymer, reinforced by magic. The interior had a hollow cavity that used a permanent spell to reduce a wand to one eighth of its usual size. A single button popped the clasp, allowing the bracelet to open and the wand inside to emerge at its full size.

The design and magical elements were so intertwined that the device could not be replicated by anyone but the inventor. Because the MTF kept tabs on all known Brights in the country, they had become aware of this device from its development. They hired her to create a dozen of these for the agency’s official use… with some slight modifications. She wondered why they’d created them without the button that allowed a Bright wearer to remove and replace the wand at will, but she was paid well enough that this didn’t bother her for long. However, the addition of a tracking device was not part of her original schematics and went against every reason she’d created it.

She flatly refused to add one.

The MTF added them anyway, tacking them onto each completed bracelet with tiny screws that were able to puncture magical fields. The holes drilled for the screws had weakened the device enough that when Leigh fell, the tiniest crack had started to form. It was this crack that had rendered the concealment function unstable. It was periodically shooting out surges of energy and beams of blue light. These traces of magic had left a trail that both Agent Kandomere and Chad had now picked up.

To the agent, these surges were worrying. Although the tracking device had begun to malfunction, the spikes in magical energy could be picked up by anyone who was looking. There must have been damage of some kind to the bracelet. Hopefully she hadn’t been injured, but he knew _something_ had happened. He frowned at the irregular beeping on his MTF map software. The transport SUV wasn’t far off and they seemed to be stopped in the middle of nowhere. More confusing. He heard a ringtone and looked down to see an incoming call from the phone in the transport vehicle. He answered it and heard voices: people shouting. The officers had placed the phone on speaker and appeared to be in the middle of a confrontation. He asked his driver Argyle to pick up the pace.

To Chad on the other hand, this was the first useful information he’d received in two days. He could identify the signature traces of Leigh’s magic anywhere. He tried to act calm as he saw a spark light up his paper map, and turned the car around slowly so that Sarah wouldn’t ask too many questions about the abrupt turn. He hadn’t been as fortunate in tracking her and was still more than 100 miles away. Sarah gave him a sidelong glance and only snickered as he re-routed, making his way back to intercept Leigh.

* * *

 

“Where’s your prisoner?” The sheriff asked, looking at Ward.

“Sir,” Ward started. “We’re LAPD officers on official assignment for the Magic Task Force, and we really need to be on our way. The man behind you is interfering with police business and I highly recommend you not pay any attention to anything he might be saying.”

“That’s not what my friend Danny here tells me. He’s saying that y’all have abducted Leigh Caldwell and are impersonating police officers. Can I see some credentials? _Slowly_.”

The officers slowly reached for their wallets and showed the sheriff their badges. This seemed to relax him… somewhat.

“As my partner said-” Nick began.

“Did I ask you?” The sheriff shot back. Nick seethed but remained quiet.

“Sir, this orc is an officer of the LAPD and you will speak to him with respect.”

Even with everything going on, Nick puffed up a little at his partner standing up for him. He didn’t have time to appreciate it. Mr. Blue Truck - Danny, apparently - fired a bullet into the dirt near the officers’ feet. Nick didn’t react to the gunshot but Ward jumped. “Quick dicking around. Hand over the prisoner.” Snarled Danny.

The sheriff whipped around to yell at him. “Back the fuck off, Danny. We’ve got this. I don’t need your help.”  Maybe these two weren’t so close. He turned back to Nick and Daryl. “But we will need to take custody of your prisoner until we’re able to confirm your story with the feds.”

“We’re not going to do that,” growled Nick.

“Hand her over or we’re taking you all into custody,” said the sheriff.

“Do it and you’re making the biggest mistake of your life,” Daryl warned, “and judging by that haircut your mistakes are a pretty long list.”

“You want to get smart, son? Fine, hand her over or I can’t be responsible for your safety if you try to leave with her.” He nodded his head towards Danny, who raised a rifle to aim at Nick.

* * *

Back in the car, Leigh was laying as low as possible, hiding out of view as Nick had asked. She couldn’t really hear what the officers were saying, but the sound of a bullet was unmistakable. She wanted to help but couldn’t think of what to do that wouldn’t just make things worse. A few moments’ silence followed, then another gunshot. A scream. The rumble of another car’s engine arriving and shutting off. Silence for several seconds. She strained her ears for any sign of a voice. If Nick had gotten hurt trying to protect her…

After a few moments, she heard **_BANG BANG BANG_ ** \- a frantic knock on the car door. She tried to press herself further into the seat. Leigh winced as someone slid the SUV’s rear door open, then relaxed as she saw that it was Nick, thank Jirak.

“Leigh, Daryl’s been shot - but he’s okay - and the elf agent from the MTF is here.” He helped her out of the car. She saw Kandomere speaking with the sheriff. The men in the pickup truck were being cuffed and led into the police vehicles.

The sheriff had believed the men in the truck easily enough to threaten Nick and Daryl, but now seemed to be cooperating fully with Agent Kandomere, who appeared to be in charge now. Leigh didn’t really know what had happened but she was relieved that no one was pointing any guns at anyone, for the moment.

On the ground lay Daryl, panting and bleeding from a wound in his shoulder. Nick kneeled down next to him and Leigh followed suit. Agent Kandomere approached the three of them.

“Hey,” said Ward to the small group that had gathered. Even one syllable appeared to be a struggle.

“Officer Ward. Try not to talk too much. My driver is going to take you to a hospital, and I’m going to take your place with Officer Jakoby and the prisoner. Excuse me,” he said, walking away to take a call.

“That guy… just a real… teddy bear.”

“How do you feel?” asked Leigh.

“Like shit, actually...  Thanks for asking.”

“Hey partner- you know there are easier ways to get out of having to hear my Orcish music, right?” Daryl smirked. “Take care of yourself. Text to let me know when you get home. Soon as I get back to L.A. I’m going to bring you some vitamins, and I’ll tell Sherri and Sophia to make sure you take them.”

“Nick, man…  just be careful... And you?” he looked at Leigh. “Try not to…  get him killed, okay?”

“I’ll try,” Leigh said in a soft tone. She felt so guilty she could hardly speak.

Nick helped Leigh to her feet - she was still in handcuffs - and they walked back towards the vehicle.

“So what happened?”

“We called the MTF agent.. I had this phone clipped to my belt, and we put it on speakerphone so the agent could hear what was going on. Daryl and I were going to just stall as long as we could. Luckily, the agent was already following us, and he was just a few miles away. Anyway, that guy from the hotel this morning? He saw the phone, maybe heard it, and fired at me. Daryl pushed me down.” He shook his head. “He took a bullet for me. I can’t believe he did that.”

“Yeah, that’s… Damn, Nick.” She was grateful to Daryl but this was surreal. “I’m glad he’s going to be okay. But all of this - for me? Why do they care?”

“One of the people that, um, that were in that bus - was his niece. He just wanted…” Nick trailed off and shook his head. Leigh could finish that sentence in her head: Revenge. He just wanted revenge.

“You should have just handed me over. All of you are at risk as long as you’re with me. I’ve got a death sentence anyway.”

“I made you a promise, Leigh. I’m not handing you over to be executed.”

“Nick, for Jirak’s sake- You can’t just _not do your job_. I know you. But even if you wanted to, it’s a little trickier now that we’ve got that weirdo MTF agent travelling with us.”

“I’m going to figure something out. This - sending innocent people to be, well - this isn’t why I became a cop.”

Leigh didn’t want to argue anymore. She leaned back against the car. Nick looked at her tenderly again. “Hey, Leigh, I meant to tell you earlier: happy birthday.”

She laughed drily. “Shit, I nearly forgot. Don’t tell me this is all leading up to another surprise party.”

Whether from exhaustion or adrenaline or just surprise, Nick let out a hearty laugh.

The elf called over to them and, carefully, they helped Daryl into the car driven by Argyle. Nick, Leigh, and Kandomere headed for the MTF vehicle. They hoped for an uneventful night at the safe house.


	6. Chapter 6

As Nick drove down the highway, Leigh kept trying to loosen her bracelet without anyone noticing. Agent Kandomere just stared out the window. He was trying to think through the call he’d have to make to his agency once they arrived at the safe house. This really wasn’t going as planned.

After a while, he stole a glance at the orc in the driver’s seat, who seemed to be frowning and gripping the wheel a bit too tightly as he drove.

“Something on your mind, Officer?”

Nick nearly jumped. The elf hadn’t spoken since they’d gotten in the car twenty minutes ago.

“Yes, actually. A lot is on my mind.”

“Is any of it relevant to me or this mission?”

“Agent Kandomere,” Nick started, lowering his voice so that Leigh couldn’t hear, “I don’t believe that the prisoner is guilty.”

“Ah.”

“She doesn’t deserve to be…” He seemed to have a hard time finishing his sentence. “executed for what happened back in L.A. It was an accident.”

“That’s really not your call, Officer. A jury of her peers felt otherwise.”

“I realize that. But if she’s in MTF custody now, can’t you-”

“I can’t. Whatever you are trying to ask me, I can’t. Listen, are you sure you aren’t a bit biased here, because of your _history_?”

Nick slowly turned to face the elf. He felt color rise in his cheeks. “You… knew about that?”

“Of course. We did our homework. We’ve been following her for years. I picked you two for this mission because of your discretion and professionalism with the wand incident, and because of that same professionalism, I thought you’d be able to set certain things aside. If this was the wrong call, well, it’s a little late now. Was this a mistake?” The agent’s tone made it clear that there was no more room for discussion. Nick missed Daryl: at least when his partner was in a mood, he was funny.

“No.” Nick told him through gritted teeth.

“But… you’re right,” Kandomere continued, speaking as quietly as he could. “She is innocent. That obnoxious elf she studied with - Chad - was recruited by the Inferni to turn Leigh to their cause. I don’t know exactly what happened, but he’s the one who killed all of those people on the bus. He made it look like it was her, like she was unable to control her power. He wanted to isolate her, inflame public fear of magic, and get her to lose confidence in her own abilities. That way, she’d have nowhere to turn but him and the Inferni” He shrugged. “For the most part, it worked.”

Nick was speechless. Not only was she truly innocent, she’d been framed, and the MTF apparently knew about everything.

“So… if you knew, why didn’t you testify, help during her trial?”

“Because eventually, she’s going to lead us straight to the Inferni. Right now, they are going to keep coming after her until we get her to a secure facility, but after that, we have options. Sentences can be commuted. But again, that’s down the road.” He glanced at her through the rear view mirror. “She’s very powerful. Even more than most Brights. They’re going to keep coming for her. By the way,” the agent concluded, unfolding a newspaper to read, “she was never even tempted by anything the Inferni - or Chad - promised. The only thing that worked on her was manipulating the people around her.”

Nick grimaced. It was hard to tell if the agent had meant that as a dig, but Nick felt it as one. He drove on in silence.

\--

**_[TWO YEARS EARLIER]_ **

Leigh adjusted her grip on the wand. It still vibrated in a way that she doubted she could fully control. Chad stood behind her, brandishing his own wand.

“That’s it, you’re so close. Just-” He breathed in and out loudly, “Just remember to breathe when you say the spell words.”

She tried as he said, but she had no confidence in her magic. The first time she’d lifted a chair at school it had flown through the roof, causing significant enough damage that class was held outside for a few weeks.. After that, she couldn’t get the chair to levitate more than an inch. Her powers seemed to be all or nothing.

She tried to put that all out of her head and stay in the moment. Slowly, the chair lifted off the floor and rose… and kept rising… until it hit the ceiling.

“It didn’t fly through the roof, oh my gods. It’s working,” she whispered with her eyes fixed on the chair.

“Breathe, Leigh. Keep your focus on the spell.”

As she did, she heard Nick’s keys in the front door. He came in, saw the chair on the ceiling, and froze. He knew her magic had been a bit unpredictable, and he didn’t want to distract her.

It was too late.

“Hi, baby! Look, I- oh _crap!_ ” When she started talking to him, the chair had begun to rotate slowly. It was now picking up speed, moving faster and faster. She used the spell words again, but she couldn’t stop it.

“Okay, I’ve got you,” said Chad, rushing up behind Leigh and wrapping his hands around hers. Slowly the chair slowed its rotation and sank back to the floor. From behind Leigh, Chad made eye contact with Nick and winked. “Us Brights have to stick together, don’t we?”

Nick glowered at him from the doorway.

“Thank you, Chad,” she told him. “Ugh, we worked hard today- I’m wiped out! I’m gonna grab some water. You guys want any?” The guys shook their heads no and Leigh went to the kitchen.

“I thought you were going to wrap up early today,” said Nick in a chilly tone.

“We were but, well, things were going well. We lost track of time. You know Leigh when she gets excited about something.”

“Yes,” Nick said, stepping closer to the elf without breaking eye contact. “I do know Leigh.”

“What’s wrong?” Chad said, feigning confusion. ‘You’re not jealous, are you? I thought your relationship was rock solid.” He finished with a smirk.

“Our _relationship_ ,” Nick growled, “is none of your business. And I think it’s time for you to leave. Magic practice is over. Why don’t you gather your things and get out of here?”

“Nick!” yelled Leigh from the doorway. “Chad, I’m sorry, he didn’t mean-”

“Nah, it’s fine Leigh. I was leaving anyway. See you in class tomorrow.” He grabbed a ratty backpack and headed out the door. Once he was out of earshot, she whipped around and glared at Nick.

“Leigh-”

“I don’t want to hear it, Nick! He came here to help me, on his own time. You’re always awful to him.”

“Leigh, he’s not who you think he is. He’s lying to you. He has some whole plan that includes getting you injured. I told you what he said at your party last month.”

“You did, Nick, and it didn’t make any sense.  You must have heard wrong. If he wants to hurt me, why would he go out of his way to help me with my magic?”

“Please just listen-”

“You know what? I’m done listening. It’s always the same shit. I’m going out for a while. Don’t wait up.” The door slammed and Nick just stared, feeling helpless.

She would never believe him. That hurt. Worse, there were people around her who meant her harm… and he didn’t know how to protect her.

\--

**_(present day)_ **

Per Agent Kandomere’s directions, Nick pulled down a narrow gravel road that had forked off from a pitted asphalt one. He was about to ask if the elf was sure they were heading in the right direction, when around a corner, a large rustic farmhouse came into view. It would have been almost a postcard if it hadn’t been enclosed by an eight-foot barbed wire fence and an imposing mechanical gate.

“Cozy,” remarked Leigh to herself, forgetting that both elves and orcs had much stronger hearing than humans. Nick snickered a little.

“It doesn’t have to be cozy,” replied Kandomere. “It has to be secure. And it is.”

“Remind me about this place if I ever need somewhere to churn some really top secret butter,” Leigh said.

This safehouse, the elf explained, was created as a magic “dead zone,” and was used in various ways by the MTF: for trainings, as a remote office, a venue for high-level meetings. It was one of the most secure facilities owned by the MTF. Kandomere was glad it had been available.

“From here, we’ve only got a six-hour drive tomorrow to the MTF prison facility.”

Leigh fell silent. While they were driving, it felt so far in the future, but now her reality was catching up to her. She felt a heavy weight settle in her gut.

\---

The house was tucked away from view  faced some hills dotted with scraggly desert trees. After they’d settled in, Nick walked out to the house’s front porch and sat on a wide cushioned bench. After the past two days, his head was spinning and he welcomed the quiet. He wondered what Leigh was feeling. He wondered how he would keep his promise to her. He wondered if he’d made a mistake in their relationship, and how things might be different today if he’d done things another way back then.

 _Back then._ He found himself going back to those memories over and over… He wondered if she was starting to feel the same things he was.

“Hey, tomatoes.” He was so lost in thought that he hadn’t even heard Leigh join him on the porch. The night was a little chilly and she stood wrapped in a fluffy blanket. He startled a little at her voice. “Can I join you?” He nodded and patted the bench next to him.

“How are you doing?” he asked.

“I’m tired. Scared. Kinda sad. I’m kind of enjoying being able to stretch my arms, though.” Secure inside the fence’s perimeter, Agent Kandomere had given clearance for her to remove her handcuffs. “And I’m really glad you’re here.” Nick wasn’t sure what to say to that. He stretched one arm along the back of the bench.

“Come here, Leigh,” he said softly. She scooted a little closer to him and leaned into his chest. He let his arm drop down from the back of the bench, pulling her into an embrace. The sturdy shape of him was instantly familiar. How many times had they sat this way when they were together? She closed her eyes and breathed him in. For the briefest moment, everything felt just like it had then.

“Nick- I want to tell you how sorry I am. I mean, about… us. Before. You tried to warn me about Chad so many times, and I just… I never heard you. But you were right. About everything.”

“I wanted to say the same thing. I’m sorry, Leigh. I clearly went about things the wrong way back then. I was trying to help but I just pushed you away. I’m so sorry.”

Leigh took the blanket she was wearing and draped it over both of them before relaxing back into him. She drew her legs up beside her and draped her arm across his waist.

“I really loved you, Nick. I loved you so much.”

He didn’t know what to do in that moment but be there for her, but for whatever it was worth, he was ready to do that. He felt her body relax and her muscles go slack against him.

Just as he was certain she was asleep, he craned his neck down to kiss the top of her head, whispering:

“I never stopped.”

\---

 _“Gods dammit!”_ Chad yelled. He’d lost the signal again. Sarah rolled her eyes. This guy was an idiot and yet somehow her fate was tied to his.

“Pull over. You’re not going to crash this car with me in it.” she told him.

“They went down a small road - here - and then nothing. I think something’s blocking her signal again.”

“You’re sure it’s _this_ road?” She pointed on the map.

“I’m sure.”

“Well, that’s no problem. It’s a dead end- see? We know this isn’t their final destination. We’ll just go down the road until the last place you saw the signal… and wait.”


	7. Chapter 7

Agent Kandomere actually felt relaxed for a moment. Now that they were at the safehouse, things were settling back into plan, and being away from the sounds and smells of the city was always a relief for his elevated elfish senses.

He made a few notes and reviewed their planned route for tomorrow. Although things were on track now, so much could change in six hours. He would be glad when this was all behind him and Leigh was safe.

He’d already gotten her sentence commuted. She wasn’t the first Bright who had been convicted by a jury with anti-magic prejudice, and the MTF practically had a playbook for this situation. After a few months of training, she would be working as an undercover MTF agent and an as-needed consultant for magical crime issues. They would give her a new name and identity. They would need to alter her appearance and keep her monitored, but she’d be alive, and she’d have freedom.

He wondered if he ought to tell Nick. The agent could tell that he was increasingly worried about her, and he already knew that Nick was trustworthy. It would make sense to tell him… but only once they’d reached the facility. He couldn’t risk Nick letting something slip.

Kandomere stepped out on the front porch and was surprised to find Nick and Leigh asleep on the bench, wrapped in each other’s arms. It was clearly a tender moment, but their obvious affection for each other was starting to worry the agent. Had he miscalculated by giving Jakoby this assignment? Watching them for another moment - they way he held her protectively, even in his sleep - Kandomere felt his irritation mellow. This was likely a difficult situation for both of them. He made a little extra noise shutting the door behind him and the two startled awake.

“Oh my gods- I’m so sorry Ni- I mean, Officer Jakoby!” Leigh practically leapt up as she spoke. “I guess I’ll go get ready for bed.” She made her way inside past the agent without making eye contact.

Nick waited for the elf to speak. He knew the elf would disapprove and he really didn’t feel like hearing it.

“I’ll take the ground floor bedroom,” Kandomere responded, more gently than Nick expected.. “There are additional bedrooms upstairs. You two can figure it out.”

* * *

_**[flashback: one year, eight months ago]** _

“Dammit, Nick, I’m already late for magic class. Do we have to go over this shit _again_?”

“Leigh, please. This isn’t just me being paranoid. He nearly killed you.”  
“It was an accident! He’s learning magic, too. Remember when I sent that chair flying through the roof? Stuff happens!”

“Jeanette said she didn’t think it was an accident. He hit you with a magic pulse when no one else was there. If Jeanette hadn’t been in the next room-”

“But she was! I’m fine.”

“Leigh, listen to me,” he started, stepping close to her and laying a hand softly on her shoulder, “He wants to hurt you. I don’t know why, but I know he does.

“Nick, for the last time, you’re wrong.”

“Every instinct I have tells me this guy is bad news. Promise me… please… promise me you’ll stay away from him, just for a while.”

“You know what? From the first time he met you- he said… he said you’d do this. He said you’d eventually ask me to stay away from him. I said, no, Nick’s not the jealous type. But he was right. You’re just jealous.”

Stormclouds passed over Nick’s face. He took a step back and raised his voice.

”Leigh, for Jirak’s sake, _this is NOT jealousy_ ! He wants to _hurt you_. Please, you have to listen to me.”

Leigh took a deep breath before responding. “You know what? We’ve been over this, like a million times. I’m tired. Maybe we… should take a break.”

“Maybe so.” He fired this back reflexively, without thinking about what she had just said.

Leigh looked at him, speechless for a moment. Tears started to gather and she wanted to leave before she cried. “So… that’s it? Four months and just… like that?”

Nick felt ice in the pit of his stomach. How had they gotten here? He didn’t want to break up. He’d been thinking of asking her to move in. They might as well. She spent more time here than her tiny apartment. Besides, he loved her.

He loved her… What was happening right now?

“I have to go,” she said, heading for the door.

Nick felt frozen in place, but the sound of her car leaving shook him out of it. He ran for his phone and sent her three texts:

_“Leigh, I love you so much. I never thought I’d find the kind of love we have. I don’t want a break from you.”_

_“I know we can’t keep having this same fight. If you want, we could see a couples’ therapist. Whatever you want._ _I believe we can work through this.”_

_“Maybe I’m speaking out of turn here. Maybe you’re ready to move on. If I don’t hear from you, I will understand that and I promise, I will leave you alone.”_

_“But if you think we're worth fighting for, like I do, please give me some kind of response. I love you.”_

* * *

Leigh had shut her phone off as soon as she’d left, worried that any communication from Nick would send her into tears before class. It wasn’t that she was embarrassed about crying in front of her classmates. High emotions fucked with her ability to cast even the simplest spells. As she ran into class - late - she tossed her purse in a corner before joining her class on the other side of the large warehouse-sized classroom.

“Okay, Leigh, thanks for joining us. Are you ready to show us your homework?” asked her teacher.

“Oh shit, it’s in my purse-” she started to run towards it, but her teacher stopped her.

“You can bring the purse over to you, remember?”

Slightly annoyed, Leigh nodded and did as she asked, levitating her purse. With her emotions still uneven, it rose and fell as it moved towards her. At one point, it arched upwards and flipped over, sending its contents crashing to the ground. She watched her phone land on a corner and shatter into several pieces.

 _Great_ , she thought, _today was going just great._

She rejoined her class and made a mental note to get a new phone later. Hopefully she wouldn’t miss any important calls in the meantime.

* * *

**_[present day]_ **

Nick lay restlessly in bed, wide awake. Sleep was a long way away. He breathed in deeply and could only smell Leigh: her scent covered him. There was one thing he could do that always seemed to help him fall asleep... He slipped a hand under the waistband of his boxers and thought of Leigh’s soft, sweet-smelling body resting against his as he started to take himself in his hand. He felt himself building towards his release, when-

_Knock knock knock_

“Nick- are you awake? I can’t sleep.” asked Leigh in a quiet voice.

Startled, he removed his hand and sat up, putting a pillow in his lap.

“Come on in,” Nick said. He switched on a bedside lamp as she entered the room.

Leigh made her way over to him, sitting next to him on the bed. She blushed a little at the sight of shirtless Nick. He seemed a little nervous for some reason.

“Nick,” she started, “I’m really glad that we had this chance to reconnect. Talk about things.”

“Me, too.”

“But I still have no idea what’s going to happen tomorrow. Honestly, I feel a little freaked out.” I… I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

He scooted a little closer to her and she leaned forward, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

He could sense a complex web of feelings: regret, fear, but to his surprise, desire for him was stronger than all the rest. She looked up at him with her lovely brown eyes.

“Be with me tonight?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Leigh,” he started, pulling away. “I can’t. As long as you’re in police custody, you can’t really give consent. It wouldn’t be right.”

She placed a hand on her MTF bracelet and with a small twist- pried it open. To his surprise, it fell off her wrist easily and a glowing magic wand emerged. She pulled it out as she laid the bracelet on a small bedside table.

“I’ve got news for you, I haven’t been in anyone’s custody for the last two hours. Once we get out of the dead zone around this house, the first time we stop, I’m leaving.”

Nick considered the gravity of what she was saying. She continued.

“Nick, you know me. Probably better than anyone. What we have - or had - is bigger than this whole situation. I know you can tell a lot through scent. Is there any part of me that doesn’t want this?”

“Leigh, wait-”

He scented her and scanned her facial expression. As she said, her hunger for him was sincere and uncomplicated. As she said, there was no part of her that did not freely consent to be with Nick. Her desire matched his own. He wanted her, badly. But he hesitated - she was still his charge. Despite all of the unusual circumstances, that still mattered… didn’t it? All of a sudden he wasn’t sure.

“Nick, I didn’t come here to push you. If all you want to do tonight is sleep, I’ll happily spoon you and snore in your ear all night.” Nick laughed softly at that. “But this is maybe the last time we’ll ever see each other. This might be my last night of freedom, ever. If it is? Well,” she said with a tilt of her head, “I just want to spend it with you.”

Without another word he pulled her into a passionate kiss.

She loved the way his rough lips pressed against her softer ones and the slight pressure of his filed tusks. He pulled her body against his, his hands at the small of her back. She paused to pull her T-shirt over her head and toss it. He hummed as she returned to his arms and he felt her taut nipples against his skin. He reached up to cup the soft swell of one breast and broke their kiss long enough to take her nipple in his mouth, sucking gently, sharp teeth brushing so lightly at the firm bud. This caused Leigh to toss her head back and gasp. He raised his head, looking into her eyes with a look she recognized well.

“I’ve missed this,” he said. “I’ve missed _you_.”

He began kissing her again, leaning forward to lay her back on the bed as she wrapped her arms around his chest. He paused to take off his boxers and she did the same with her pajama pants and underwear.

“Oh, Nick. Come here, baby.” He growled as he moved on top of her. The feeling of her naked body pressed against his was glorious. He smiled at how well he still knew her body: the way she felt, the way she moved, the way she smelled. It was all utterly intoxicating.

He remembered just how she liked to be touched. His hand moved to touch her between her legs and growled again at the wetness he found.

“Already? Mmm, so wet. Is this for me?”

“Yes, gods, I’m so wet for you, Nick. Oh!” She cried out as he found her clit, rubbing soft circles with his rough fingers.

“Ahh, there you are.”

She began to moan as he continued, periodically thrusting two fingers inside her then rubbing her slickness across her clit. Her moans grew louder and deeper as he worked.

“Nick, please, I want to feel you inside me.”

“Hmm, are you sure you’re ready for me? Usually we do a bit more of this first…”

The word “usually” felt like the present tense: like none of the last two years had ever happened and they were still together. She smiled up at him and held him close, wishing they could stay in this moment forever. He was right- typically they spent quite a bit more time on foreplay. But she could tell that she was already _ready_ for him.

“I’m sure."

He took his cock in his hand and rubbed the tip across her clit for a few seconds, using the same small circles he’d been using with his fingers. She moaned loudly at this, pressing her fingertips into his back.

He lined himself up with her entrance then kissed her again. There was so much emotion, almost an urgency in his kiss.

He pulled back from her lips, looking in her in the eyes he pushed into her, slowly.

She hadn’t been with anyone else since Nick and had almost forgotten how nice that first stroke always felt. She gasped at the sensation of being suddenly filled and stretched. The lack of foreplay had left her a little tighter, but the feeling was working for her. She gasped. Nick paused, searching her eyes for any sign of pain or resistance. The thought of causing her any pain had always terrified him. But no, all she radiated was lust and pleasure. He waited this way for a couple of seconds, allowing them both to adjust.

As soon as he felt her start to eagerly push her hips against him, he started to move as well, slowly, in and out until he found a rhythm that seemed to work well for both of them. Leigh locked her ankles behind his waist, taking him even deeper and drawing a real growl from his lips.

To her, it was like no time had passed at all since they were last together. She held him tightly to her as he rocked into her, her moans growing louder.

He started to build his pace.

“Ah, NIck- yes! YES!” Her moans grew more erratic and he knew she was building to her climax. She slid her hand down to touch her clit as his hips rocked into her. He always loved watching her touch herself and gasped at the sight of her, increasing his pace even more. The sensations combined were overwhelming to both of them.

Leigh’s whole body tensed with pleasure as her orgasm burst through her. Her walls contracting tightly pushed him quickly to his own climax. He cried out her name as he came, pumping his seed into her with his last few thrusts until he was spent. Breathless, he stroked Leigh’s cheek and looked at her as his pulse slowed.

“Leigh,” he panted, “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Nick.”

He kissed her again and waited to soften before he gently withdrew from her. He rolled over to lay on his back and she watched his chest rise and fall as he tried to catch his breath.

“I missed you so much,” she told him. He rolled onto his side, facing her, and wrapped her up in a tight embrace. He kissed her forehead tenderly before getting up to go and wash up. She giggled to herself as he walked around unabashedly naked. Before he left the room he turned back to look at her.

“Don’t run away tomorrow,” he said.

“What?”

“Don’t run. If you do, you’ll be running for your whole life, and it’ll be worse when they find you.”

“If I don’t, I’ll be on death row. How much worse can it get? I think I’ll take my chances.”

“I made you a promise, Leigh. I’m going to keep it.”

He sounded so confident but she didn’t know how he could keep that promise. Then again, if she’d trusted him back then, she could have avoided all of this. She still thought that her best bet was running away under cover of magic, but he was right about a lifetime on the run. None of her options looked great.

Nick returned with glasses of water for both of them. As she took her turn washing up, she looked in the mirror. Everyone around her recently had reduced her to one word: murderer, inmate, Bright. Even her family had shunned her after her magical abilities became public. But with Nick, even right away, he had seen her fully. He’d accepted everything about her without question. Whatever happened tomorrow, she would always be grateful to him for loving her so well, and angry at herself for pushing him away and causing so much harm to so many people.

For the first time in days, she let her tears fall.


	8. Chapter 8

Nick woke just before sunrise. Leigh had slept on her side with one arm draped across his chest and a leg curled over his stomach. One of his arms curved around, cradling her. He was trying to commit every part of this morning to memory: the color of her red hair spilling across his blue-gray skin, the light pressure of her body against his, even the small pool of drool she would be horrified to learn she had left. He chuckled softly at that. He wanted to kiss her but didn’t want her to wake up a second earlier than she had to today.

A sudden insistent knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.

So much for that.

“Officer Jakoby? Miss Caldwell? I trust you are both… in here?” Kandomere asked. Leigh started to stir in Nick’s arms. He pulled her tight for one more squeeze before letting his arm fall to the side so that she could sit up.

“Yes. We’re here, Agent,” Nick answered.

“We need to leave as soon as possible. Can you both be at the car in thirty minutes?”

“Hmmm… fuck off” Leigh murmured in a sleepy voice that she thought was quieter than it was.

“What was that?”

“We’ll be there, Agent,” sighed Nick.

* * *

 

Chad was glad Sarah had convinced him to call the Inferni for some back up. There was definitely something - even if it was just a psychological boost- to the concept of outnumbering your opponents. Two Inferni members had been a short drive away, so now they were a group of four. Only two of the four were Brights, but that was plenty. While the two non-magical members had armed themselves with human guns, Chad and the other Bright had worked to set up a sort of magical roadblock that would disable any cars that came close. Since this road was the only way in or out, Leigh and her guards would have no choice but to come right to them.

All they had to do now was wait.

* * *

**_[ONE YEAR, SIX MONTHS EARLIER]_ **

Nick had been looking forward to today for as long as he could remember. Today was the day he would graduate from the Police Academy and become a police officer - the first Orc police officer in the country. He gave himself one last look in the mirror, smiling at the sight of himself in his uniform.

It would be a good day.

Although he and Leigh had broken up months ago, on a whim last week, Nick had sent her a text inviting her to today’s ceremony. He didn’t have high hopes of a response. About an hour later, he received one:

_Congratulations! Of course I’ll come, Nick. Thank you for the invitation. I know you’ll be a great police officer._

He’d read that text about a dozen times since. He’d kept his word in the months after their breakup, not contacting her after his texts went unanswered. The invitation to his graduation was the first time he’d reached out since the day she’d suggested a “break.”  He’d accepted that she had moved on, but - for her sake - he still held onto some hope that it wouldn’t be long before she saw through Chad’s bullshit.

In any case, he didn’t plan to bring up any of that today. Today was about much bigger things.

He headed out in order to arrive at least 15 minutes early, as he always did. The sun was out and everyone he passed seemed a little happier - the usual fearful glares humans gave him were replaced by surprise and confusion. A definite improvement, he thought.

He caught a last glimpse of himself in uniform as he parked his car and prepared to go to the ceremony. He reminded himself to remain humble in his work. He was a public servant, after all. Today, however, he couldn’t help puffing up his chest a bit.

Today was going to be a _great_ day.

* * *

“Is this a mistake?” Leigh was trying to pick an outfit that toed the line between “tasteful” and “tasty” as her friend Jeanette waited and checked her phone.

“Sweetie, no. He invited you. You want to go. What is there to wonder? Just remember: I’ll be there with you if you need an out.”

“Jeanette, have I told you thank you? Because, thank you. You’ve been such a rock the past few months. After Nick and I broke up, and after everyone at school quit talking to me but you and Chad, shit. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Hmm. You know I hate that guy, right?”

“ _Jeanette_.”

“Look you know what I think-”

“Yeah, yeah. You agree with Nick about Chad.”

“Well?”

“Well, what? I mean, yeah, Chad’s a little awkward. That doesn’t mean he’s, like _, in league with the Inferni_ or something _._ For Jirak’s sake, the way you guys talk about him.”

“Look, I don’t know, Leigh. I can’t explain it. I just don't trust him.  Just keep your eyes open, okay?”

Leigh nodded with pursed lips. She didn’t want to talk about this anymore, but doubt started to gnaw at her now that the two people she trusted most had warned her about the same person.

Maybe there was something she had overlooked.

A few moments later, the two women left Leigh’s apartment, crossing a wide parking lot to Jeanette’s car. It was a beautiful, clear day.

“Hey, Jeanette, where should we park when we get down there? It’s going to be crazy.” Leigh considered options but would trust Jeanette- if her friend would answer her. “Jeanette?”

 _“Shit_ ,” her friend cursed.

“Jeanette? Are you okay?”

She turned around and saw Jeanette with a shocked expression.

Several feet away, Leigh saw - Chad? standing with something shiny in his hand.

“What- What’s going on, Chad?”

At that point, several things happened at once.

Without a word, Chad lunged toward Leigh with the item in his hand.

Jeanette pushed Leigh out of Chad’s reach but stumbled, and Chad leaned over Jeanette for a quick moment then stood up, took a step or two back, and just stared.

Jeanette looked up at  Leigh with wide eyes, grabbing her chest. She tried to speak but as she lifted her hand up her eyes went wide - her hand was covered in thick blood.

Chad tossed whatever he’d been holding on the ground, towards Leigh’s feet. Confused and stunned, she crouched to pick it up. It was a small, bloody knife.

Chad yelled out, “Help! This lady just stabbed somebody!” A passer-by reached for his phone.

Leigh ignored Chad and bent down to hover over Jeanette, asking questions and promising her help. Jeanette tried to talk but couldn’t. Her breath made awful, rattling sounds. As she reached for her phone, her friend’s body went slack and her eyes took on an eerie faraway look.

Chad had killed her friend.

Chad… had _killed_ … her _friend_.

Someone screamed. It was an ugly, guttural wail. Leigh realized it was her own voice. Everything felt oddly far away.

A stranger grabbed Leigh and started yelling at her, something about the police being on their way. She stared at him numbly.

Chad told the stranger he would take it from here and grabbed Leigh by the wrist. Still in a daze, she started to follow him without question.

The sudden sound of a police car siren in the distance was the thing that shook her out of her shock. _Nick._ Nick would know what to do, how to help. She pulled back from Chad, shaking free of his grip. She took a few backwards steps away as he gave her a funny look. The stranger who had called the police started yelling, and Chad turned to him briefly. It was the chance she needed.

Leigh broke into a dead run, heading in the general direction of Nick’s ceremony. It was only about a mile away from where they were, luckily. She was vaguely aware that Chad was following and that she was still holding the knife. She was glad she had her wand in her purse but couldn’t exactly bring it out in public. The apartment complex was close to an area that was usually crowded with foot traffic and she headed that way, hoping to lose Chad. After a few moments, she didn’t see him behind her anymore. Starting to realize that she couldn’t keep up her pace, she was relieved to see a fast food restaurant just ahead. There would be lots of people there. Surely he wouldn’t risk more violence. She could go in, call the police, and cast a confounding charm so that he wouldn’t find her.

She walked in and tried to force herself to look casual as she headed towards the restrooms. The elf who'd been hunting Leigh had kicked in the door of the accessible stall where she was crouched above the toilet. "Look, Leigh. I'm not here to hurt you. Just come back and everything will be-"

"You're a MURDERER. I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"That was necessary. I’ll explain it all later, just come with me now, or they’ll arrest you and I won’t be able to help. Look, Jeanette was nice, but she was unremarkable. Her death won’t really matter in the long run. But you- you can be part of something great. Come with me, Leigh.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her hand shook as she held him at bay with her wand. My gods, she thought. Nick had been right all along.

* * *

 

**_[PRESENT DAY]_ **

The three of them traveled down the road in silence. Leigh kept fidgeting with her MTF bracelet, and Nick seemed to catch her eye in the rear view mirror every time she did.

He believed her when she said she would run. He wished she wouldn’t, but at the moment he didn’t see another route for her, either.

As the gravel road joined the bumpy asphalt, the fine hairs on the back of Leigh’s neck started to raise. At first, she wrote it off as her imagination. It couldn’t be magic - could it? - all the way out here.

Mile after mile, it grew stronger. Anyone with experience using or working with magic would identify it easily. At the point when the air seemed to physically crackle around them, she spoke up.

“Guys, I think-” she started, but Kandomere was already alerted.

“I know. I feel it, too. Keep your eyes peeled, Officer.”

“For… what?” asked a bewildered Nick.

“Two magic users with wands. Inferni,” Leigh  details with her eyes shut, as if she could hear them. “Chad’s there. I don’t know if anyone else is with them or not.” Nick realized he hadn’t seen too much of Leigh’s magical abilities in action, and he was about to ask more questions when his attention was drawn back to the road.

About fifty feet ahead of the car hovered an enormous glowing blue disc. At least thirty feet in any direction, it pulsed as bolts of electricity zig-zagged across its surface before shooting out away from the form’s center. The bolts streaked out into the sky, the ground, and the trees, charring a few branches.

Just as Leigh had described, four elves emerged from around the form. Two had wands raised. All of them walked, slowly, towards the car.

“Officer, put this thing in reverse, now!” snapped Kandomere. Nick shook his head as he mashed the gas pedal as hard as he could. He turned the ignition off and on and tried the gear shift: anything he could think of. No luck.

“Car won’t move,” he said. “It’s dead.”

The three of them watched, helpless, as the four elves approached.

 


	9. Chapter 9

Four elves - two with wands raised - walked, slowly, towards the car.

“Officer, put this thing in reverse, now!” snapped Kandomere. Nick shook his head as he mashed the gas pedal as hard as he could. He turned the ignition off and on and tried the gear shift: anything he could think of. No luck.

“Car won’t move,” he said. “It’s dead.”

The three of them watched, helpless, as the four elves approached.

All the doors of the police SUV flew open at once.

“Agent Kandomere? Cuffs.” Leigh spoke sharply to the elf and he was about to protest when he saw her pry off the MTF bracelet and pull out her wand. His brow creased. Typically he would ask more questions, but given their current predicament he just nodded and turned to unlock her cuffs.

“Officer Jakoby, can you give us a moment?” the agent asked. Nick nodded and exited the car, sidearm drawn. Leigh suddenly realized where she recognized the agent from. On the day of her sentencing, he’d been there. One of a few in the courtroom who hadn’t cheered. Something about that felt comforting.  He leaned in to talk quietly enough that Nick wouldn’t hear.

Meanwhile, Nick hoped he’d give the two some cover to exit the vehicle at their pace. He wondered what they might be talking about but was slightly more occupied by the four elves aiming wands and guns in his direction. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the Agent press something into Leigh’s hand before they both left the car.

The three of them stood side by side as they faced the four Inferni elves.

Leigh pointed her wand directly at Chad. He and another elf pointed wands right back at her. The other two elves trained guns on Nick and Kandomere. Kandomere drew a weapon and aimed at one of the gun-toting elves. Nick was aiming at the other wandless elf but kept his attention focused on Chad.

* * *

**_[one year and six months ago]_ **

This was not Leigh’s proudest moment, but at the moment she was scared shitless enough not to care. She’d just seen her friend stabbed to death, and was being pursued by the murderer. Currently, she was hiding crouched in the bathroom of a fast food restaurant, trying her best to silently cast a confounding charm before he found her. 

Almost, almost... but she had to speak a bit louder for the charm to stick and didn’t want to risk him finding her before the charm held. She hadn't heard the door move in at least five minutes, so she decided to chance it. She cleared her throat, raised her wand, and-

**BAM.**

Chad kicked in the door of the accessible stall where she was crouched above the toilet. "Look, Leigh. I'm not here to hurt you. Just come back and everything will be-"

"You're a  _ murderer _ . I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"That was necessary. I’ll explain it all later, just come with me now, or they’ll arrest you and I won’t be able to help. Look, Jeanette was nice, but she was unremarkable. Her death won’t really matter in the long run. But you--you can be part of something great. Come with me, Leigh.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her hand shook as she held him at bay with her wand. My gods, she thought. Nick had been right all along.

”Fuck.  _ Off _ !” She waved her  wand and a sphere of energy ricocheted around the tiled bathroom before fizzling out like a deflating balloon. The elf laughed.

”You have to come back. You don't have any control of your magical abilities. You point that wand twice: once you might manifest a single blade of grass, the other time a fireball. I can help you!"

"I don't want your fucking ‘help’! And if I'm so dangerous, maybe you should back the fuck up!" She leapt down and into a standing position, never breaking eye contact as she fixed the wand on him. She had been warned about this asshole, but at the time, she didn't see it. Nick had, though. He’d tried… but she’d been so goddamn blind.

Now, of course, she started to see what kind of person he really was, but the veil wasn't lifted until this morning, when she'd seen him stab a person - her friend - to death, unprovoked.

He backed away and then broke into a run out the door. As quickly as he'd found Leigh in this restaurant bathroom - he was the one on the run. Strange...he actually looked panicked as he backed out of the bathroom and into the restaurant, where a dozen pairs of eyes widened as they saw her with a glowing wand in her bare hand.

He reached into a small pack and held - something - in his hand as he pushed through the front door and broke into a run out the door.

Something about this felt wrong.

She followed him anyway, remembering to hide the wand before she did. She gained on him until she was close enough to call his name. He looked over his shoulder at Leigh and lost his footing, falling flat on the sidewalk in front of a tour bus. He reached out, grabbing the side of the bus to pull himself up, then drew a knife (how many did he have?) and waved it in her direction. "Stay back!" he yelled in a high pitched, terrified voice. A few heads turned. A crowd started to gather.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

"Help!" He cried out, to no one in particular. "This woman is a Bright and she's trying to  _ kill me _ ! Please help me!" Leigh just stared, shocked at how convincing his fake panic sounded.

More people turned to watch. The crowd grew larger. A few people brought their phones out to take pictures or video. No one seemed to be coming to his aid, though...

He pointed the knife to his own throat.

"What are you doing? You're making me cut my own throat?"

"...the  _ fuck _ ?!" Leigh took a few steps towards him, slowly. Suddenly he sprang forward, closing the distance and holding the knife to her throat. So quiet that only she could hear him, he hissed in her ear:

"You'll have nothing. No one. Nowhere to hide. Your whole life will be worthless. Leave now and everyone you care about will pay the price... starting with your boyfriend."

He'd struck a chord. He seemed to be doing it on purpose.

Without thinking she drew her wand and pointed it at him, sending him backwards several feet until he hit the city bus. The gathered crowd gasped when the wand started to glow, and a few screamed at seeing her use it.

Suddenly, a high-pitched whir sound started, quickly growing louder and louder. It seemed to come from the exact point on the bus where the elf had landed. Her eyes went wide. What the fuck was going on?  **What had she done?**

She didn't have time to wonder. A spark of flame ignited under the bus, and the crowd started to scatter. The bus passengers were trying desperately to leave as the fire grew with a few pops. Then, all of a sudden-

**BOOM.**

The bus was engulfed in a fireball from the inside out.

Those people -  _ all _ those people... All of a sudden, she was surrounded by police.

The rest of that day was a blur. Some moments seemed permanently frozen and others she could never remember. People said "under arrest" and "murder" and "freak" and "I'm a lawyer that has been paid for you by a third party."

The only thing she remembered clearly from that day was a number: Seventeen.

Seventeen people died that day… because of her.

* * *

**_(present day)_ **

“What the fuck is this, Chad?” asked Leigh.

“Oh, Leigh. Always so dramatic - I thought we were friends!” Godsdammit, he was fucking mocking her.

“I thought so, too. But that was before you killed my friend in front of me. I guess we drifted apart after that.” Her voice dripped with rage as she spoke to him. It was the first time she’d seen him face to face outside the courtroom since that day.

“You know,” he said, ignoring her. “I’ll tell you what I told you back then. This could end quite peacefully. Come with us.” He gestured to the disk behind him. “You see this kind of power? This is who you could be. This is who you were meant to be!”

“You’re a murderer.”

“Look who’s talking. How many people were on that bus again?”

“You mean the one  _ you _ blew up?” This was Agent Kandomere. Leigh whipped around to look at him. Chad just laughed.

“You knew? I thought everyone bought it. Hell, even Leigh thought she’d done it!”

Leigh looked from the Agent to Chad.

“So, you let them - let  _ me _ \- think I killed all of those people? For what?” But she knew as soon as she did. It was everything Nick and Jeanette had warned her about.

“You never were all that smart, were you?” Chad sneered at her. Leigh heard Nick inhale sharply. “Leigh, your power - it’s special. Even for Brights, it’s special. Look, the humans hate you already. Your life here? Either hiding or in jail. Come with us and you’ll be with people who need you. Celebrate you. You won’t have to hide yourself ever again and we might not kill your two friends here. Doesn’t that sound nicer than all this running?”

“No. It sounds like you want me to join the Inferni.”

“Well then, how about this: Willingly or not, we’re taking you with us anyway.”

“ _ Back. The fuck. Off. _ ” Nick growled. It was the angriest Leigh had ever heard him. “She’s not going anywhere with you.”

“You know I might just kill you anyway,” Chad told Nick. “You’ve been really, really annoying,  for an awfully long time, and I think I deserve a little fun.”

Slowly, he moved his wand so that it was pointing at Nick instead of Leigh. 

Leigh didn’t move her wand or her eyes - both of which were trained on Chad - but her other hand moved in a flash, raising above her head and then forward as something flew forward:

A knife.

The item Kandomere had handed her before leaving the vehicle - the same knife Chad had used to kill Jeanette - was now lodged in Chad’s belly. She’d had it with her when she was arrested and somehow he’d confiscated it from her belongings. It was made of elf-forged steel, designed to stay sharp for decades. It would cut through flesh as easily as foam. All this time, Leigh had thought that Jeanette’s stabbing was some kind of accident, but with this knife, now she knew:

He had shown up to her apartment intending to kill.

Now Chad was staring at it, confused as he fell to his knees, dropping the wand. The other elves drew their attention away from Leigh, Nick, and Kandomere and the Agent took advantage of the moment to fire at one of the gun-toting elves’ hands, causing her to drop her weapon. Kandomere rushed to apprehend her and the others aimed their weapons at him.

“Try it and Chad dies! Drop your weapons!” Leigh yelled, keeping her focus on her old “friend.” Leigh’s wand glowed brighter as a surge of emotion flowed through her. At this pulse of energy, the other gun-wielding elf lowered her weapon, eyes wide.

Leigh had guessed - apparently correctly - that he must be very important to the others in this group. Kandomere continued to place the disarmed elf in handcuffs, using slow, deliberate movements. The two other elves remained frozen as Leigh walked closer, now holding Chad at wandpoint.

Nick moved toward the other disarmed elf, but the second Bright pointed her wand at him. “Not so fast, Officer.”

Leigh was now standing only a few yards away from Chad as he lay on the ground. He gave her a smile and a wink that made her blood feel like ice in her veins.To her horror, he had picked his wand back up and was mouthing something, barely above a whisper, looking straight at Nick.

No, she thought. No fucking way.

No more people die at the hands of this asshole, and especially not the one person who’d done everything he could to warn her about him.

Chad’s wand was glowing brighter and brighter as whatever spell he was casting was starting to take hold. Nick had an odd look on his face as tiny blue sparks started to hover all around him.

“Drop your fucking wand, Chad. Whatever you’re doing, stop it! Now!” She was still pointing her wand straight at his head. She hoped she sounded angry but she could tell that panic was creeping into her voice.

All of a sudden, Leigh’s wand flew out of her hand. The other Bright had sent it flying. It landed twenty feet away. Feeling a little braver now, Chad sat up, holding his bleeding belly with the knife still stuck inside. In his other hand, the wand trained on Nick as his chanting grew louder and louder.

No.

The wand grew brighter and brighter.

NO.

Nick cried out in pain as the small sparks started to darted in, out, and through his body in erratic movements, faster and faster. Chad was trying to make this hurt. 

Without the wand, Leigh could only think of one way to stop him, but it might cost her life.

“ **_No_ ** !” Leigh yelled, running toward Chad and leaping forward. She knocked him backwards. His wand dropped as sudden pressure on his wound made him cry out in pain. Nick fell to the ground as the connection with Chad’s wand was lost.

Furious, Chad pointed his wand at Leigh and yelled something. At the same time, Leigh reached for Chad’s wand and started to scream a spell of her own.

The competing magical forces started to cause a tremor below the ground.

From the place where Chad and Leigh had been struggling, a ball of light exploded. The force of it sent everyone else flying backwards several feet. 

As the flash subsided, Kandomere noticed that the large magical disc/portal was gone, as well.

Nick with his sturdy orcish builf was the first to get to his feet. He helped Kandomere up and the two moved quickly to cuff the other two elves while they were still unarmed and dazed from the magical blast. He still couldn’t see either Leigh or Chad through the cloud of smoke left behind by the magical blast. The second Bright had been separated from her wand and Kandomere went to find it.

Once the other three elves were taken into custody, Nick noticed that the smoke had cleared where Leigh had been standing. The first thing he saw was Chad, struggling to breathe.

Nick spun around as there was no sign of Leigh anywhere near him. There was nothing. Behind him he heard Chad... laughing.

“She’s gone. Dead,” he said in a weak voice. “Sucked up into that ball of light. You lose.” He laughed again, but his laughs turned into a rasping cough and a trail of blood was now trickling out of the corner of his mouth. The cough grew louder as Nick scanned the ground, the trees, anywhere to find some scrap of clothing or something to convince himself that Chad was full of shit and Leigh was still alive, somewhere. Abruptly, his cough stopped and Nick whipped around to face him. His eyes had taken on an unfocused look. Kandomere confirmed with a pulse check - Chad was dead.

At least she’d taken him with her, Nick thought, then stopped himself. He couldn’t believe she was really gone.

She’d tackled Chad to save him. Nick felt heavy at the thought. He’d always tried to protect her, not be protected himself.

“He’s right,” Agent Kandomere said, quietly.

“I don’t believe it.”

“I know. But she’s gone. I’m sorry.”

Nick looked in his eyes but he’d always found elves impossible to read.

“I don’t believe it,” he repeated hollowly, but he sank down onto his knees, holding his head in his hands as the elf’s words started to sink in.

She was really gone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are appreciated!


	10. Chapter 10

Two weeks after returning home from the prisoner transport assignment, Nick climbed the front steps of Ward’s house carrying two heavy grocery bags. In one, he brought a variety of tomatoes, peppers, and squash, straight from his garden. In the other, he brought cheese, pasta sauce, and noodles to make a big garden lasagne.

Ward had been off work due to his bullet wound for those two weeks. He was anxious to return, but he still had restrictions on how much he could bend or lift. On nights when Sherrie had to work late shifts at the hospital, Nick had offered to come by and make dinner. Tonight was the first time Daryl had taken him up on his offer. Nick didn’t know if his partner needed the help or was just stir-crazy, but either way, he was glad for a chance to spend the evening with friends, outside of his house.

He knocked, and it was only seconds before Ward’s daughter Sophia flung open the door, excited to see him.

“Nick, you’re late! Dad said you were coming at 6:00!” Nick checked his watch - it was 6:04. “I want to show you something!”

“Sure thing, rockstar, just let me set these down and say hi to your dad.”

“Okay.” She sat down on the couch and waited.

“How’s he feeling today?”

“He says he feels good.” She shrugged. “He just took a nap. I’ve been making him take those vitamins every day, like you asked.” Nick chuckled as Ward walked into the room, shaking his head.

“Are you telling everybody my business, Sophia?” he teased, kissing his daughter on the top of her head.

“Just Nick!”

“Well, that’s okay, then, I guess.” He turned to his partner and his face grew more serious. “Hey Nick. How’s it going?”

He knew what Daryl was really asking. He’d filled in his partner about everything that had happened on the rest of the transport assignment - well, most of it - and Daryl had been uncharacteristically gentle with him ever since. He was almost warm.

Nick shrugged and turned back to his groceries, trying to avoid eye contact.

“Oh, you know me, partner. I’m fine. Staying busy.” He looked up at Ward with what he hoped was a convincing smile. “I’m okay.”

“Hey man, I just wanted to say...” Daryl trailed off and shook his head. “Thanks for making dinner. I know Sophia would be happy eating chicken nuggets every night, but - just, thank you.” Nick knew his partner wasn’t a man of deep emotional displays, but he could tell Daryl was trying to communicate something more. Nick appreciated the effort and nodded in response.

“Nick! The groceries are down- can I show you something _now_?”

“Be right there, Sophia.” He patted Daryl’s non-injured shoulder. He knew human males were somewhat awkward about showing each other affection, and hoped this gesture would be appropriate. “You’re welcome, Ward.”

Sophia grabbed Nick by the hand and led him to the backyard where she pointed out a bushy basil plant in a terracotta pot. It was thriving, at least two feet tall and full of fragrant green leaves..

“See, Nick? Someday I’ll have a big garden like you.” He was impressed and asked her questions while she gave it some water. She pointed out other pots around the yard - she was growing mint in two of them, rosemary in another.

A few minutes later, Nick and Sophia were busy assembling the lasagne while Ward iced his shoulder on the couch. Nick could tell Ward was hurting more than he admitted.

“Nice, even layers, Sophia.” Nick was slicing vegetables while Sophia arranged them and the other ingredients in layers in a baking dish.

“Thank you. Hey Nick? I’m sorry about your friend,” He stopped slicing and looked at her. “My dad told me that you were sad because you had a good friend who moved away.” Daryl never told his daughter about death he saw at work. He said that he would be more honest with her eventually, but for now he didn’t want her to worry. “My best friend last year moved away to Florida and I was sad, too. If you want, I can help you write her a letter.” She said this in a quiet, serious voice.

“That’s um… That’s really nice, Sophia, thank you.” He looked away as his eyes started to water, but she had noticed.

“Does she like stickers? I have really good stickers. We can put a lot of stickers on it.”

He smiled but couldn’t respond for a moment. Sophia gave him a gentle hug and went back to the lasagne.

The rest of the evening went well. The lasagne was a big hit and there were plenty of leftovers for the Wards. After dinner, Daryl, Nick, and Sophia played board games. It felt good to Nick to laugh and joke with the Wards and get out of his head for a few hours.

The happy feeling lasted the whole drive home. It wasn’t until he walked up to his door that the heavy, empty feeling settled over him again. They’d broken up more than a year before he saw her again at the transport assignment, but seeing her again, being with her and then losing her all over again: it all felt too fresh. He meant what he’d told Leigh at the safe house - he had never stopped loving her.

He grabbed his mail from the box on his porch, walked in the door, and tossed the stack onto his kitchen table as he turned on lights.

That was odd.

Something in his mail made a rattling noise when it hit the table. He rifled through the stack and picked out a bubble-envelope with his address hand-written and no return envelope.

Inside, there were only three items: a packet of Brandywine tomato seeds, a packet of Gold Medal tomato seeds, and a business card for Agent Kandomere’s office at the Los Angeles branch of the MTF.

* * *

The next morning, Agent Kandomere was standing by his office window, still drinking his coffee and trying to plan out his day. It was earlier than any of the other agents arrived, but outside in the hall, he heard some kind of commotion.

“Agent Kandomere?” paged a voice - his assistant - over the telephone’s intercom. He pressed a button to respond.

“Yes?”

“You… have a visitor. He’s insisting on seeing you now. I’m sorry, sir. What should I say?”

Kandomere expected this visit. He sank into his chair and pressed the button again.

“Go ahead and let him in.”

He only had to wait a few seconds before Officer Nick Jakoby burst in, his face a mix of emotions.

 _“_ _Where is she_ _?”_

* * *

Leigh - or Kelly, as she’d be known from here on - was settling into her new life. She felt like “settling” was a good way to describe it, honestly. Her life was just _smaller_ now. Under MTF orders, she couldn’t contact anyone she knew before, but who were they worried about? Her family had disowned her, the public thought she was serving a life sentence, and the Inferni thought she was dead.  There was only one person she missed, and he, too, thought she was dead. She couldn’t exactly call him up to chat, even if the MTF hadn’t banned her from that. He’d never forgive her.

According to the MTF agents, in a few months they would move her from this suburb to a permanent home in a different city and pay for any job training of her choice. She’d have a new name, a new career: a fresh start. It wasn’t a terrible offer, all things considered. In the meantime, she was managing a coffee shop and living in a modest apartment.

She was safe, but she was bored.

She also found herself with quite a bit of time on her hands. Her apartment had an abandoned community garden and it reminded her of Nick every time she walked past it. It was too sad in its neglected state: she decided to bring it back to life.

Nick... She missed him terribly. She also felt incredibly guilty about letting him believe she was dead. The plan was so last minute, hatched between Leigh and Kandomere moments before they faced Chad and the others. Leigh knew at least it would keep him safe, but she regretted it now.

Kandomere had promised that he would tell Nick the truth if he asked, and Leigh/Kelly had promised that she wouldn’t contact him. Hey, she’d waited almost a week and a half before mailing him those seed packets. She did hope that the agent was better about his promise than she had with hers.

She turned her attention back to the rocky, dry patch of earth she hoped to make into a garden. Earlier that day, she’d made quite a haul of gardening supplies from a local gardening supply shop. She kneeled down in the dirt, started unpacking her tools and seeds, and took a deep breath.

She was going to plant some tomatoes.

* * *

Nick only stopped to call into work - the first time he’d ever taken leave - before hitting the road, driving straight from the MTF office to a city about 45 miles away. Now he stood, heart in his throat, knocking on the door of Leigh’s new apartment.

No answer.

He knocked again and waited. Same result. Nick reached into his back pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper with a few different addresses on it. One for a coffee shop - maybe she was at work? Should he just show up there, or wait here? Did one of these options cross the line from “sweeping romantic gesture” to “creepy”?

He slowly walked back to his car, trying to decide what to do next. For a moment, dread crept in as he realized: once he knew she was alive, he had found her in twelve hours. Had the Inferni gotten here first?

Just as fear started to send him spiraling, some movement at the corner of his eye stopped him. He spun around to see -   _Jirak H. Orc it was really her_ \- Leigh. She was in an empty area next to the apartment complex, crouching in the dirt, listening to music and stabbing a small patch of dirt with a hoe, vigorously but aimlessly.

He ran over to her and stopped about ten feet away. She still didn’t see him. He walked closer, around the crudely mangled dirt patch, until he was standing right next to her. He didn’t know how to start so he kept looking at her, not quite believing that she was alive, here in front of him.

She looked different, he noticed. She’d probably altered her appearance with magic. Her hair was now short and dark brown. Her nose, her cheekbones, her jawline were slightly different as well but the way her body moved, her scent, her eyes: he would know her anywhere.

She paused her assault of the dirt patch and sank back onto her knees, catching her breath. She reached behind her for her water bottle but found nothing. Confused, she started to stand up to look for it better. When she saw Nick’s familiar figure behind her, holding out her water bottle, she nearly fell right back down.

“ _Nick!_ Oh my gods, is that really you?”

“I was about to ask you the same thing.” He looked as stunned as she felt.

She was about to throw her arms around him and kiss him, when she hesitated.

“I’m so sorry, Nick. I wanted to tell you, but Kandomere made me promise not to… You got the tomato seeds?”

He chuckled. “They were in my mail yesterday. It was nearly 10:00 when I got home and found them. I went straight to the MTF office this morning. He didn’t take much convincing, surprisingly.”

“I made him promise to,” she said, her face serious. “Are… you upset? Angry? I know it was shitty but it really was the only way-”

Nick closed the distance between them with one step and pulled her into a kiss, interrupting her. She wrapped her arms around his familiar, broad shoulders and kissed him back. After a few minutes, he pulled back and looked at her straight in the eyes.

“No,” he told her. “I’m not angry. Not upset”

“Oh.” She smiled. “Good.”.

He wiggled his eyebrow ridges a few times and scooped her up in his arms as if she weighed nothing. This drew a surprised laugh from Leigh.

“Which one of these apartments is yours again?” he asked. She grabbed her keys and pointed the way. She patted his chest as he carried her to her door and felt an unexpected rattle from his breast pocket. She peeked in and pulled out - the packet of Gold Medal tomatoes she’d sent him.

* * *

Six months later, things between the two of them were stronger than ever, and “Kelly” had moved into Nick’s house. It had taken a bit of work, convincing the MTF to let her return to L.A., but apparently she had been quite persuasive. No one was looking for her now, which helped. She’d also apparently talked herself into a job doing consulting for the MTF, which, she reminded them, would make it a lot easier to keep tabs on her.  

Today was a Saturday and the two were sitting down to lunch. Nick was cooking while Leigh read a book. She was so engrossed that she was shocked when she looked at the time and realized Nick had been in the kitchen close to an hour.

“Nick, honey? What are you doing in there?”

“You’ll see…” A short time later he emerged, practically beaming as he presented her with a plate of food. There were tomato halves, with the seeds scooped and the insides stuffed with diced vegetables and herbs. They were served against a bed of cottage cheese, fresh spinach, and blueberries. She wasn’t sure how this meal took an hour to prepare, but he looked so pleased she couldn’t help smiling back.

“Enjoy,” he told her, smiling. He seemed to be waiting for something.

“Are you going to eat, too?”

“Oh! Right.” He popped back into the kitchen and came back with his own similar dish. He sat down to eat but still seemed to be waiting for her.

“Are… you going to watch me eat?” She asked sardonically, lifting a stuffed tomato to her mouth

“These are from the seed packet you mailed me, by the way. These seeds led me back to y- **_Careful!_ ** Cut it first.”

She was startled. He never raised his voice. What was he up to? She lifted her knife and cut the tomato in half. Nick’s brow furrowed.

“Cut the other one.”

“Nick, what on earth - oh!” Her knife struck something hard inside the second tomato and she fished it out with her fork: a silver ring etched with an intricate orcish pattern. Inscribed around the inside were some Bodzvokhan letters. “Nick!”

Meanwhile, he’d moved from his seat at the table, and was now down on one knee in front of her.

“Leigh, Kelly, no matter what your name is, it’s the most beautiful word I know how to say. I think we’ve been through about everything two people can in the past two and a half years, and I only find myself falling more and more in love with you, every day. I can’t imagine anyone else I’d rather spend my life with. Leigh Caldwell, will you-”

“YES!” She yelled, tackling him and sending him falling backwards on the floor. She held her face as she covered him with kisses.

“-marry me?”

“Still yes!”

He laughed as she continued kissing him all over his face. All of a sudden she stopped.

“So wait, it took you an hour to hide that ring in a tomato?”

“No… It took a few minutes to cut everything up, a little more to arrange everything on the plate, and then about forty-five minutes to take apart the garbage disposal so that I could find the ring after I dropped it.”

“Oh, sweetie. You are a strange and wonderful man.”

“Hey, you’re the one who’s marrying me.”

She laughed and kissed him again. “What does it say here, in Bodzvokhan?”

“It says ‘Yours, always,” He looked up at her with a shy expression. “It was the ring my grandfather gave to my grandmother.”

“It’s beautiful, Nick.” She helped him off the floor and they stood looking at each other for a moment, perfectly content. The proposal - tender, heartfelt, beautiful, and clumsy - it was perfectly Nick. She loved him so much and she knew this was only one of a lifetime of surprises. He leaned down to continue kissing her.

A life together with Nick Jakoby: the future looked happy and bright.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! The end... I hope you have enjoyed it! Thank you SO MUCH for reading along. As always, comments are very much appreciated. Thanks again for reading!!


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